(ASHEVILLE) --  New Belgium Brewing, the third largest craft brewer in the country, will build its East Coast brewery in Buncombe County. The company plans to create as many as 154 jobs and invest about $175 million over seven years.

Gov. Bev Perdue's office confirmed that the company would be eligible for a $1,000,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund. The state grant will be based on the company creating 130 jobs and making $115 million investment over the five years of the project.
 
“New Belgium looked all around and chose North Carolina as the location for the company’s one brewery east of the Mississippi,” said Gov. Perdue. "The jobs and investment the company is committing will be a major boon for the region and for the state.”

“After several years of searching we are incredibly excited to have landed in Asheville,” said Kim Jordan, CEO and co-founder of New Belgium. “From the deep sense of community to the rich natural environment and the opportunity to revitalize a brownfield site near a vibrant downtown, Asheville has everything we’ve been looking for in a location for our second brewery.”

New Belgium Brewing is headquartered in Fort Collins, Co.  The company is the maker of Fat Tire Amber Ale.