A Florida company’s promised $175 million investment and 150 jobs have not materialized. Yancey County has filed a lawsuit to recover 84.5 acres transferred for the project.
By John Johnny | The Johnny Report.
October 29, 2026
BURNSVILLE, N.C. — A North Carolina county is fighting to recover land valued at approximately $2.6 million after a Florida-based company’s ambitious economic development project failed to move forward.
In February 2025, Yancey County announced that Paradigm Energy & Storage LLC would establish a headquarters and manufacturing operation in Burnsville.
The company promised a $175 million investment and 150 jobs by the end of 2027.
In exchange, the county transferred approximately 84.5 acres of publicly acquired industrial land to the company at no cost.
More than a year later, no construction had taken place, and the promised jobs had not materialized.
Burnsville, North Carolina, where the proposed economic development project was announced.
On October 14, 2026, Yancey County filed a lawsuit seeking to recover the property.
What Happened to the Promised Investment?
The project was initially presented as a major economic opportunity for a rural mountain community recovering from Tropical Storm Helene.
But according to the county’s lawsuit, Paradigm failed to fulfill its contractual obligations.
The county notified the company in May that it intended to terminate the agreement and demanded the land’s return.
When the property was not returned, the county pursued legal action.
The $2.6 million figure represents the reported value of the land transferred, not a confirmed permanent financial loss. Whether the county ultimately recovers the property remains a legal question.
Questions About the Company’s Background
Paradigm is associated with Florida businessman Christopher McKendree. Florida corporate records also identify Patricia “Pia” McKendree as a manager.
Reporting by Carolina Public Press uncovered troubling discrepancies in the company’s North Carolina registration documents.
Those included a registered agent who had died before the filing and a telephone number belonging to a Florida attorney who said he was not associated with the company.
The company’s North Carolina address was also connected to a private mailbox.
In September 2026, North Carolina revoked Paradigm’s certificate of authority after the company failed to meet annual filing requirements.
The company remained active in Florida, but that status alone does not establish that it had the financial capacity to complete the proposed North Carolina project.
A Portion of the Land Was Sold for $10
Another complication emerged when Paradigm transferred approximately 0.44 acres of the industrial property to Nicholas Styles in September 2025.
County land records cited by Carolina Public Press show a reported consideration of $10.
Styles was subsequently named as a co-defendant in the county’s lawsuit.
The reason for the transaction remains unclear. The sale price and the pending lawsuit do not, by themselves, establish criminal wrongdoing.
Unpaid Property Taxes
According to Yancey County tax information reported in October, Paradigm owed approximately $33,441 in overdue property taxes.
Meanwhile, the county had returned to planning infrastructure improvements for the industrial site, including a $13,000 local commitment for water and wastewater services, alongside $98,000 in state funding.
These amounts raise additional questions about the public resources committed to preparing the property for economic development.
The Bigger Question: How Was the Company Evaluated?
Economic development agreements can provide communities with jobs, investment, and long-term tax revenue.
But they also require safeguards when public assets are transferred to private businesses.
The central concern in Yancey County is whether officials adequately evaluated Paradigm’s experience, financing, and ability to deliver before transferring valuable public property.
The available reporting establishes that the project did not progress as promised and that the county is seeking the land’s return. It does not establish that county officials or company managers committed a crime.
For residents, the consequences include delayed economic development, unrealized employment opportunities, and uncertainty surrounding a valuable industrial site.
The Johnny Report will continue following the lawsuit and the county’s efforts to recover the property.
Sources and Further Reading
Original reporting: Lucas Thomae, Carolina Public Press, October 22, 2026.
Earlier investigation: Lucas Thomae, Carolina Public Press, May 18, 2026.
Yancey County announcement, February 5, 2025:
https://yanceycountync.gov/DocumentCenter/View/656/Press-Release–Paradigm-Energy-and-Storage-LLC-PDF
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