New Lowe’s Facility Gets Tax Funds

RALEIGH — Gov. Mike Easley last week gave Lowe's Companies a $100,000 grant because the home-improvement retail company decided to locate a data processing facility in Winston-Salem. Lowe's reported $30.8 billion in sales in fiscal 2003. It will invest $71 million in the data center. The One N.C. grant represents 0.14 percent of Lowe's investment, raising questions about whether the company seriously considered placing the project anywhere else. Lowe's has data centers in Wilkes County and Mooresville, where its headquarters resides. The company said the new data center is expected to employ 20 to 25 people.