If there’s one constant in this world, sadly it’s negativity.

When we published a story about a new gas station giving away 76 cent-a-gallon gas, the negative Nellies came out to belittle those who waited for a little break in one of those everyday expenses that eat into our household budgets.

And when we broke the news this week of work to acquire land to make the project twice its original size, well, you can predict what a small minority had to say.

It’s never going to happen.

Our taxes will go up.

Here comes the crime.

But is this what we want to be, a community against virtually everything?

Instead, the news of a major potential industry growing before it’s even built should be celebrated.

Three Ring Studios was announced at 160 acres. The recent news shows a project at 350 acres on the Covington Entertainment Media Campus. David Bernd, the vice president of economic development for Covington/Newton County Economic Development, said this likely would give our area “the largest media campus in the world.”

Bernd, in an exclusive interview with The News, said the economic development office was in the process of working out land options with 28 property owners to acquire the expansion property.

Yes, Bernd confirmed, the owners’ property taxes would be going up, but that’s because the value of their land is skyrocketing. Isn’t that what you want as a homeowner?

If the entertainment complex does what its backers, and city and county officials, claim it will, all our property values will increase because Newton County will become even more of a destination for the film industry. And, it won’t just be the movies that stop in for a few days and disrupt life by closing businesses on the Square, or a rural road, but with projects that have real roots in Newton County.

Sources tell us you can expect word of major players in the entertainment industry signing on to have a stake in the Covington Entertainment Media Campus. This is happening, and it would behoove citizens to understand the benefits and work toward productive solutions on potential problems rather than pooh-pooh the idea.

Economic development officials have assured us Newton County citizens aren’t on the hook for the bond money used on this project. Given that, can we at least give them the benefit of the doubt?

Maybe, just maybe, this will be a benefit for the entire county.

Our Thoughts is the view of The Covington News’ editorial board, which includes Editor and Publisher David Clemons and Managing Editor Jackie Gutknecht.