"So, they were very

 "So, they were very

 interested in a site with a high degree of visibility," Jacobs said. "There's an expression in real estate: 'main and main.' They wanted to be at sort of the main and main location in downtown Aiken so that they could have maximum visibility and be a part of the community."

Jacobs said the national lab's leadership wants employees at the facility to be able to walk downtown easily, shop at local stores and eat at restaurants around the site. He said the proximity to the Amentum Theater and Newberry Hall were also added benefits. 

Jacobs also said the proposed plan outlined by Mayor Pro Tempore Ed Woltz and Mayor Rick Osbon during the state of the city address last month are merely ideas and suggestions and do not represent a commitment of how to proceed.