House Speaker Thom Tillis visited Dillsboro to meet with town leaders and businessmen about “economic opportunities.” Many present expressed a desire to receive state funding for a turntable for a steam engine. Dillsboro has been economically un-opportunitied since the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad moved its headquarters out of town.

Tillis tried to coach them on applying for state grants and encouraged them to keep any sort of application focused.