POUNDS - Athens-Clarke County Economic … waste diverted of ... from Kennesaw State University in...

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Economic Development Quarterly

Local Film Industry is booming

Georgia Most Competitive State

Classic Center has huge Economic Impact Summer 2014

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37 in Athensin Athensin Athens---Clarke CountyClarke CountyClarke County

FY2013FY2013FY2013

34 MILLION POUNDS

of water pollution control waste

diverted

of waste recycled

MILLION POUNDS

TONS of batteries recycled

878787 TONSTONSTONS

of scrap tires of scrap tires of scrap tires recycledrecycledrecycled

18 TONS

of plastic wrap recycled

73 TONS

of electronics recycled of technotrash recycled

1 TON

cardboard aluminum cans

paper plastic

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10 MILLION POUNDS of leaf & limb materials recycled

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CONTENTS Summer 2014

Pictured front to back:

Tasha Smith, Rodney Williams, Mike Underwood, Robert Thomas

Carrier Corporation is the world's largest manufacturer of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration equipment. A global organization, they have over 45,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues in excess of $10.6 billion.

Carrier Corporation is a division of United Technologies (UTC) and has a worldwide network of distributors and dealers, who sell, install and service Carrier products in more than 172 countries. Their products are globally designed and engineered and manufactured in 80 facilities around the world. They are at the very forefront of the industry, developing exciting new products that make use of advances in computer and Internet technology, developing ever more environmentally safe refrigerants and dramatically reducing the power requirements of their products.

Carrier’s Transicold division is a global force in transport refrigeration and air conditioning. They offer the industry’s most complete range of products for: container refrigeration; marine air conditioning; truck, trailer and rail refrigeration.

Carrier Transicold moved its plant operations from Montebello, California to Athens, Georgia in 1987. Carrier Transicold employs 300+ employees in Athens, Georgia and has a demonstrated track record of improvement, community involvement and excellence in environmental, health and safety (ISO 9001 & 14000 certified).

Carrier Corporation combines financial performance with commitment to employees, their customers, the environment, and communities. It is fundamental to their culture and operations. UTC and Carrier are committed to encouraging and supporting employees in continuing their formal education while working through their Employee Scholar Program. Carrier Transicold provides comprehensive support to customers in all market segments. Carrier Corporation gives back to its community by supporting numerous charitable organizations and by being involved in the schools and other community programs and events.

Carrier Transicold was the recipient of the inaugural Athens‐Clarke County Manufacturer of the Year Award presented by our department for 2014.

For more on Carrier Transicold check out their story on pages 10‐11.

IN EVERY ISSUE:

From the Director 17 Quarter Rewind and Fast Forward 4

Featured Proper es 18

2009

Meet the Intern We welcome our first intern.

President Signs WRDDA into Law

The Savannah Port gets green light to start construc on.

Industry Appreciation Dinner & Awards

An evening of celebra on of our local industries

Manufacturer of the Year

Learn more about our inaugural Manufacturer of the Year

Impact of Classic Center Expansion

Athens has seen a huge transforma on on Thomas Street but what does that mean for our economy?

Perspective on Progress

Athens‐Clarke and Oconee joined forces for a chance to show off

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Join us online! #AthensGAUSA

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Contact the Department Athens‐Clarke County Economic Development Department 246 W. Hancock Ave., Athens, GA 30601 706‐613‐3233 www.AthensBusiness.org

Publisher Denise Plemmons

Contributors Angie Estes

Danielle Robarge Rusk Thomas Cunningham

Trip McKenney Cameron Goershel

Ryan Moore

ON OUR COVER:

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT www.AthensBusiness.org 706-613-3233 4

Cameron Goershel is currently a graduate student at The University of Georgia. A er gradua ng from Kennesaw State University in 2013, he decided to pursue a Master’s Degree in Public Administra on. Now half way through his degree, Cameron is specializing in budge ng and finance and focusing his study on the field of Economic Development. In addi on to being a full‐me graduate student, Cameron also works at Five Points Bo le Shop as a Cra Beer and

Brewing Specialist.

Cameron is currently serving as an intern for Athens‐Clarke County’s Economic Development Department and is conduc ng an economic impact study on the cra beer industry. This study seeks to provide a list of best prac ces that will encourage the growth of the industry in Athens‐Clarke County. The study will incorporate four major components—an overview of the current cra beer industry in Athens‐Clarke County, the economic impact of the industry, the impact of current legisla on on the industry, and a discussion of current compe ve disadvantages and poten al best prac ces that will promote the growth of the cra beer industry in Athens‐Clarke County.

Cameron is looking forward to the next several months and is excited to have the opportunity to help grow the cra beer industry and the economy in Athens‐Clarke County.

Keep an eye out for Cameron’s report in an upcoming newsle er.

Meet Our Intern: Cameron Goershel

Q U A R T E R R E W I N D

F A S T F O R W A R D

New Projects 3

Clients Hosted 5

Exis ng Industry Visits 3

July 13 Agro Cycle Tour GeorgiaFoodTours.com/farm

15 mile round trip tour with gourmet tomato sandwich buffet $10‐50

July 18‐19 Sprockets Interna onal Music Video Fes val SprocketsMusicVideoFes val.com

7/18‐Georgia Music Video Show @ the 40 Wa 7/19 Industry Talks @ the Mel ng Point 7/19 Sprockets Interna onal Music Video Show @ the 40 Wa

Aug 5 Small Business Development Center– Star ng a Business GeorgiaSBDC.org

6pm @ Chicopee Complex– FREE

Aug 13 Small Business Development Center– Business Contracts GeorgiaSBDC.org

11am @ Athens SBDC‐ FREE

Aug 12 Small Business Development Center– Wri ng a Business Plan GeorgiaSBDC.org

6pm @ Chicopee Complex‐ $69

Aug 15‐16 Classic City BBQ Fes val ClassicCityBBQFest.com

Classic Center‐ $3‐10

Aug 22 Sustainable Industry Roundtable athensclarkecounty.com/4921/Sustainable‐Industry‐Roundtables

8am @OmniSource Metals 590 Old Hull Road

Aug 27 Kroger Marketplace Grand Opening

Hwy 29 and Hwy 72

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Summer 2014 5

With the president’s signing of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014, the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP) is authorized to begin construc on. “With today’s ac on, SHEP has officially received a green light,” said Georgia Ports Authority Execu ve Director Cur s Foltz on June 10, 2014 a er the signing. "This project is the result of an open and collabora ve process involving all interested stakeholders which received approval of mul ple regulatory agencies. We would like to thank the Administra on, our elected officials throughout Georgia and Washington, Governor Deal, Senator Isakson, Senator Chambliss, Congressman Kingston and then en re Congressional delega on, and all of those who worked relessly to reach this cri cal milestone.” “The next step for SHEP calls for Georgia to enter a Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, defining how the costs of the project es mated at $706 million will be shared between the state and federal government. Foltz said he expects to have a binding PPA within 90 days, allowing accelerated use of Georgia’s por on of the funding. These funds will be credited against the state’s ul mate cost share at the end of construc on. Seeing the port deepening through to final authoriza on has been a top priority for GPA Board Chairman Robert Jepson during his two years leading the board. . “The harbor deepening is recognized across Georgia as the state’s most important infrastructure project in terms of future economic development,” Jepson said. “Because Gov. Nathan Deal and the General Assembly had the foresight to set aside $266 million toward construc on, we will be able to start the project this year using state funds.” Federal studies show that for every dollar invested in the deepening, the na on’s economy will reap $5.50 in net benefits. Lower prices per container slot on Post‐Panamax vessels will save U.S. companies moving goods through Savannah 20 to 40 percent on transporta on. Port users can realize further savings on land transit because of the terminal’s adjacent network of distribu on centers and its loca on

100 miles closer to Atlanta than any other port. “A deeper harbor will fully complement the landside infrastructure improvements that are currently under way to increase the Port of Savannah’s capacity and improve services throughout our mari me logis cs network,” Foltz said. “Garden City Terminal now employs 25 of the largest ship‐to‐shore cranes on the East Coast, 116 rubber‐red gantry cranes, two on‐terminal rail yards, and, soon, direct

highway access from the port to Interstates 95 and 16.” Jepson also noted the GPA board’s recent $86.5 million purchase of four new Super Post‐Panamax ship‐to‐shore cranes and 20 new rubber‐ red gantry cranes (RTGs) – set to start arriving in 2016. The board has also budgeted $8 million to con nue the transi on of Garden City’s RTG fleet from diesel to electric power – a move that will help the GPA avoid the use of millions of gallons of diesel each year and the associated air emissions. . Foltz said that at 3 million twenty‐foot equivalent container units (TEUs) per year, the Port of Savannah now moves four mes the containers it handled when Congress ini ally authorized SHEP in 1999. He said improved efficiency will allow the GPA to more than double its annual throughput to 6.5 million TEUs without increasing the physical footprint of the 1,200‐acre Garden City Terminal. Georgia’s deepwater ports and inland barge terminals support more than 352,000 jobs throughout the state annually and contribute $18.5 billion in income, $66.9 billion in revenue and $2.5 billion in state and local taxes to Georgia’s economy. The Port of Savannah handled 8 percent of the U.S. containerized cargo volume and 10.9 percent of all U.S. containerized exports in FY2013. Check out GPA’s Youtube channel‐ www.youtube.com/user/georgiaports1. Find print‐quality images of port opera ons at www.gaports.com/Media/Photography.aspx.

For addi onal informa on, please contact GPA’s Senior Director of Corporate Communica ons Robert Morris at (912) 964‐3855 or [email protected]. Visit the GPA web site at www.gaports.com.

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THE FACILITY INCLUDES:

DV Cameras Flip Cameras A Crane

A Green Screen Computers equipped with Final Cut Pro, DVD studio pro, Color and Cinema tools ‐ Tripods 3 Point Ligh ng kits

Microphones of varied kinds (including shotgun and omnidirec onal) A Dolly A Screening Area A Sound Room with a sound mixer

6 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT www.AthensBusiness.org 706-613-3233

J ust a few short years ago, if you wanted to work in movies or

television you had to move out to Hollywood. But that

doesn’t seem to be the case anymore as it appears that

Hollywood has come to Georgia. Georgia was recently

included in the Top 10 Filming Loca ons Worldwide, by the trade

magazine P3 Update. More than 700 feature films, TV movies, TV

series, single episodes and pilots have been produced in Georgia

since 1972 and the film industry seems to be building momentum

over the past few years for Georgia. The reason for this boom? In

2008, Governor Perdue signed into law the Entertainment Industry

Investment Act which offers 30% of produc on tax incen ves to

qualifying produc ons, which gave Georgia one of the most

compe ve tax incen ves in the country. Add to that our beau ful

and diverse landscapes, pleasant weather year‐round, vast network

of produc on resources, a large skilled workforce, and Georgia is a

standout choice for filming.

And Athens has not missed out. Just in the past 3 years since becoming a Camera Ready Community, we have seen 3 major mo on pictures stop by as well several television shows. And why not? Athens is an eclec c town that has been used as the backdrop for such locales as New York City and Asheville, N.C. For long produc ons, the crew calls their film loca on home and Athens is

always a great host.

These filmmakers have also been spreading the word about their posi ve experiences in the Classic City. Sen ments such as “excited”, “suppor ve”, and “easy to work with” were used to describe their interac ons with the Athens community as well as the county government. This may in part be due to the coordina on between the Athens‐Clarke County Unified Government, Athens Downtown Development Authority, the University of Georgia, and Film Athens, a local non‐profit organiza on working to support, educate and foster the growth of the film industry and film community in Northeast Georgia.

But even with an amazing se ng, deligh ul atmosphere, and suppor ve community, one thing is s ll missing‐ a qualified workforce. Recent produc ons had to fill technical posi ons such as grips and gaffers with film professionals from Atlanta or even California. In an effort to develop that qualified workforce and thus create a compe ve edge, Film Athens has partnered with the Clarke County School District and Athens Technical College to build a set of credit‐earning high school classes to be held in their new classroom, the Film Lab, which houses digital film produc on equipment and over 30 film edi ng sta ons at the Athens Community Career Academy.

The Film Lab classroom will allow Film Athens to be er provide educa on opportuni es to both ACC students as well as the Athens area community. Workshops of varying sizes are being organized

Lights,

ATHENS! camera,

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with both volunteer and for‐pay instructors. This space will be set up with so ware to allow for self‐teaching during open lab hours. Workshops, speakers, and training are open to all ages and levels of experience. The primary goal of Film Athens educa on is to offer the Athens community an educa onal opportunity they might not be able to receive otherwise. The workshops are o en free, or offered at a class fee set below market cost.

Once Film Lab is up and running, students will gain a knowledge base that will help them work on a film produc on. “If we had a trained crew here, then we’d have more movies here,” Film Athens Execu ve Director Danielle Robarge Rusk says. Currently, the curriculum for a college credit‐earning film pathway is being developed by Athens Technical College and is based on film industry standards and plans to roll out in Spring 2015.

“We want to teach everything involved in film,” Robarge Rusk said. “From pre‐produc on like wri ng, budge ng and storyboarding ... to produc on, technical classes and definitely edi ng, distribu on,

the whole gamut. We’ve had a lot of local filmmakers in the past express interest in teaching, and there are people in Atlanta we can work with.” The vision for Film Lab will be a hub where professionals and hopefuls meet and learn from each other. It will take some me for the film pathway to be considered “workforce training,” Robarge Rusk said, but more of a way to show the range of work opportuni es in the film industry.

For more informa on and updates on Film Lab, visit www.filmathens.net

For informa on about filming in Athens please visit

h p://www.athensclarkecounty.com/film.

Summer 2014

BY

Gov. Nathan Deal announced on May 6, 2014 that Georgia was named the No.1 most compe ve state in the na on by Site Selec on magazine.

“When I took office in January 2011, I made a promise to the people of Georgia that we wouldn’t stop un l our state was the No. 1 place in the na on to do business,” said Deal. “We earned that designa on in November for the first me ever, and now we’re adding ‘most compe ve’ to our accomplishments. These rankings are not only a testament to our strong business climate, but they also speak to the commitment and support from our industry partners, communi es and the people of Georgia.”

The magazine releases its Top 10 Compe ve States every year in May. The Top 10 Compe ve States ranking is based on an index of 10 criteria, most of which are ed to new projects and expansions tracked by Site Selec on’s New Plant Database.

“Remaining compe ve is key to staying ahead in the global marketplace,” said Chris Carr, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “With cri cal factors such as a qualified workforce, solid logis cs infrastructure and connec ons in key interna onal markets, it’s no surprise that Georgia outranks other states in this category and our state con nues to be the best choice for industry‐leading companies.”

Site Selec on’s Top 10 Compe ve States has given Georgia 426 points — 12 more than the 414 that won last year’s first place. Last year, Georgia ranked as the na on’s third most compe ve state and has remained in the top 10 most compe ve states since 2010.

Site Selec on states that what makes a state compe ve is the total number of new and expanded facili es; capital investment in new and expanded facili es; new jobs created; rank in the corporate real estate execu ve por on of the 2013 Site Selec on Business Climate Ranking; state tax climate as ranked by the Tax Founda on; performance in the Beacon Hill Ins tute’s State Compe veness Index and the number of Na onal Career Readiness Cer ficates per 1,000 residents aged 18‐64, according to ACT — Workforce Development Division, administrator of the ACT Cer fied Work Ready Communi es ini a ve.

Site Selec on magazine, published by Conway Data Inc., delivers expansion planning informa on to 49,000 execu ves of fast‐growing firms. The senior publica on in the development field, Site Selec on is also available online at siteselec on.com. The publica on also co‐publishes e‐newsle ers, including The Site Selec on Dispatch, Life Sciences Report, Aerospace Report and Energy Report; Site Selec on Interna onal; The FDI Report; Trust Belt.com and the OnSITE Travel blog.

Conway Data is an interna onal publishing, consul ng and associa on management company headquartered in Atlanta. Conway also owns and manages London‐based Red Hot Loca ons, organizer of worldwide FDI events; Berlin‐based FDI advisory firm Terrain Consul ng; New York‐based The PONT Group, a leading PR and lead‐genera on firm; economic development educa on and research organiza on the Janus Ins tute; and manages the Industrial Asset Management Council and the forthcoming FDI Associa on, launching in November 2013.

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I n an effort to show our sincerest apprecia on for the

tremendous contribu on industry makes to the county's

economic well‐being, the Athens‐Clarke County Economic

Development Department hosted it’s inaugural Industry

Apprecia on Dinner & Awards on April 23, 2014. The event was

hosted at the Foundry Park Inn which was once a true Foundry

where blacksmiths cra ed famous works such as the UGA Arch

and the Double‐Barreled Cannon.

Nearly 50 members of the industrial community along with

Mayor Nancy Denson, several County Commissioners, State

Representa ves and around 30 local community representa ves

enjoyed an evening of networking and acknowledgement. The

evening included awards en tled "Community Commitment

Award" for milestone anniversaries of 10 years for Power

Partners and 25 years for Nakanishi Metal Works, Co. as well as a

presenta on of the Manufacturer of the Year as selected by

Athens Technical College who nominated them at the state

level.

Carrier Transicold’s Athens transport refrigera on plant, which

celebrated its 25th anniversary in the community last year, was

named the inaugural Athens‐Clarke County Manufacturer of the

Year and also received a Community Commitment Award. You

can read more about Carrier Transicold on the following pages.

Aside from the awards, the evening was a celebra on of the

county’s manufacturing sector. Ryan Moore, Director of the

Athens‐Clarke County Economic Development Department, told

the crowd manufacturers in Athens‐Clarke County employ

almost 6,000 people and pay a wage that is well above the

average for our community.

Mayor Nancy Denson also offered some brief remarks, calling

local industries “the unsung heroes in our community,” and

saying the community is “very, very proud of the many of you

here.”

The keynote speaker for the evening was Cliff Pyron, Chief

Commercial Officer of the Georgia Ports Authority. His

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presenta on shared the statewide reach of the port facili es at

Savannah and Brunswick. He also pointed out that 250

distribu on centers across the state — including the Caterpillar

manufacturing plant in Athens — are dependent on the state’s

ports.

The crowd was also told that the wait is over for the dredging at

the port of Savannah, deepening it from 42 feet to 47 feet to

allow for larger ships as it should begin before the end of the

year.

The project is expected to take three years to complete.

The evening was ended with the final line of the Athenian Oath recited in Athens, Greece over 2,000 years ago, "Thus, in all these ways, we will transmit this City not only, not less, but greater and more beau ful than it was transmi ed to us."

More pictures can be found at h ps://flic.kr/s/aHsjYf5siV

More about the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project on page 5.

Summer 2014

Mayor Nancy Denson presents a Community Commitment Award to Steve Hollis of Power Partners, Inc. in honor of their 10th anniversary.

David Boyce and Nick Shimamura accept a Community Commitment Award for Nakanishi Manufacturing Corpora on in honor of their 25th Anniversary from

Mayor Nancy Denson .

Ma Walker accepts a Community Commitment Award for Carrier Transicold in honor of their 25th Anniversary and Manufacturer of the Year from Ryan Moore

and Mayor Nancy Denson .

Members of the Athens community joined together to celebrate the manufacturing industry in the area and enjoyed dinner and an awards presenta on at the Foundry Park Inn hosted by the Athens‐Clarke County Economic Development Department.

Cliff Pyron shared how the Georgia Port Authority plays a vital role in the success of our state’s economy.

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W alk into any of Athens‐Clarke County’s supermarkets and one of the first things seen is the produce aisle well stocked with an array of fresh items ranging from seasonal Georgia peaches to

fresh bananas and pineapples grown in the Caribbean, asparagus from Peru and perhaps more exo c items, such as ginger root and star fruit from the Far East. Around the corner, the refrigerated dairy shelves are loaded with eggs, milk and bu er from regional farm opera ons. Chilled meats and seafood in abundance are found behind glass counters, and we take for granted that the frozen food aisles will offer a cornucopia of vegetables, fruits, pizzas, toaster pastries, ice cream, frozen novel es, and microwaveable meals made by food companies from across the United States.

How all these temperature‐sensi ve items safely arrived at the stores without spoilage is no mystery. It is made possible by

modern “transport refrigera on systems,” the manufacture of which is the business of Carrier Transicold, a global opera on that established a factory in Athens over 25 years ago. One of the area’s larger employers, Carrier Transicold was recently named by the Athens‐Clarke

County Economic Development Department as our first Manufacturer of the Year. The department also dis nguished Carrier Transicold with a 2014 Community Commitment Award in honor of their 25 years in Athens.

Carrier Transicold’s specialized business focuses on refrigera on systems used on delivery trucks, large trailers, railroad cars and ocean‐faring shipping containers. Here in Athens, hundreds of employees manufacture truck and trailer refrigera on systems sold throughout North America, as well as the rest of the world.

With business roots in Carrier Corp., the company founded by Willis Carrier, the “Father of Air Condi oning,” Carrier Transicold today is part of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp. Being part of a research‐driven interna onal company gives Carrier Transicold a technological advantage when it comes to providing customers around the world with the most advanced, energy efficient and environmentally sustainable transport refrigera on solu ons.

Carrier Transicold was formed in 1970 when Carrier Corp. acquired the California‐based Transicold Co. While the Carrier Transicold business unit is 44 years old, Carrier innova on in transport refrigera on began before the prolifera on of large‐scale suburban

Some of Carrier Transicold’s proud Athens employees.

Pictured front to back: Tasha Smith, Rodney Williams, Mike Underwood,

Robert Thomas

THE COUNTY’S

BUSINESS:

CARRIER TRANSICOLD

Carrier employees celebrate safety milestones in front of the plant.

Celebrating 25 years in the Athens community

2014 ATHENS-CLARKE COUNTY

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supermarket chains, having introduced a mechanical refrigera on system for trucks as early as 1940. And in 1968, Carrier Corp. debuted an electric refrigera on system design that became the standard for the rela vely young shipping container industry. In 1988, truck and trailer refrigera on system manufacturing was relocated from Montebello, Calif., to the present Olympic Drive loca on.

“Athens has been a pivotal loca on for Carrier Transicold to maintain a sustainable manufacturing opera on in the U.S., enabling Carrier Transicold to serve customers around the world,” said Tom Ondo, general manager, Carrier Transicold Truck/Trailer/Rail Americas. “We’ve experienced sustained growth and produc vity over the past 25 years, and the most important factor fueling the excep onal performance is our highly skilled, dedicated employee family.

“To put the workforce exper se in perspec ve, the average Carrier Transicold Athens employee has been with the company for more than 12 years, with many approaching the 20‐year mark, and we have more than 80 employees who began with the opera on 25 years ago,” said Ondo, himself one of the original members of the Athens team. “Our long‐term employees are a very important aspect of what makes the Athens opera on so successful as a compe ve global provider of transport refrigera on units.”

The Athens plant is cer fied according to the Interna onal Organiza on for Standardiza on (ISO). With con nual investments in new manufacturing technologies over the past 25 years, the facility remains highly produc ve and is known throughout the industry for its high‐quality products. Advanced manufacturing technologies and processes, joined with an excep onal and talented workforce, make the opera on a significant contributor to Carrier Transicold’s success.

As an example of the ongoing corporate commitment to the Athens plant, last December it completed a major transforma on of its manufacturing opera on focused on new products designed for compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protec on Agency’s latest emissions standards, considered to be among the toughest in the world. Through a significant investment in the latest manufacturing technologies with focus on employee safety, product quality and produc vity, a major por on of the plant interior was completely reconfigured. Now, a single common assembly line produces all the company’s trailer products: the hybrid Vector™ trailer refrigera on

units and innova ve X4™ Series trailer refrigera on units. Other assembly lines in Athens support the popular Supra™ truck refrigera on units and PowerLINE® generator sets for container systems.

Carrier Transicold’s manufacturing philosophy is centered on safety, technology and sustainability, with the ul mate goal of delivering the highest quality products. In addi on to produc vity gains, recent investments in Athens have resulted in tremendous environmental performance strides, which in turn have made it a be er neighbor to the Athens community. Since 2006, the plant has reduced water usage by 38 percent, industrial process waste by 70 percent, greenhouse gas emissions by 32 percent and non‐recycled waste by 85 percent or 1.5 million pounds – the equivalent to weekly garbage pickup at 1,000 homes for one year.

In terms of safety strides, the Athens facility has maintained Star status with the Occupa onal Safety and Health Administra on’s Voluntary Protec on Program since 2010 and recently achieved another safety milestone – more than 6 million work hours without a lost‐ me accident.

Carrier Transicold’s Athens employees are ac ve supporters of the community, each year raising funds and contribu ng countless hours of volunteer support to numerous organiza ons, including United Way of Northeast Georgia, American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, Soles4Souls and more.

“Our employees take great pride in their work and in the community, as well as the fact that our products seen on the roads all around the country are manufactured here in Athens,” said Ma Walker, plant manager. “Together we’ve accomplished a tremendous amount over the past 25 years, and we expect that trend to con nue in the years ahead.”

As for being named the inaugural Manufacturer of the Year for Athens‐Clarke County, Walker said, “The honor goes to the hundreds of men and women at the plant who support not only our customers, but the community in which we operate.”

Summer 2014

Carrier Transicold’s hybrid Vector 8500 unit has wide acceptance within the grocery distribu on industry.

Athens Plant Manager Ma Walker, right, accepted the Manufacturer of the Year Award on behalf of Carrier Transicold. Also shown are Ryan Moore, director of the Athens‐Clarke County Economic

Development Department, and Athens Mayor Nancy Denson.

MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR

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T he Classic Center’s economic impact for Athens‐Clarke County has recently increased by 32% with its expansion, rising from $50 million in 2011‐2012 to $65 million in 2012‐2013. This impact represents the effects of spending by

event a endees on hotel rooms, local transporta on, shopping and dining.

In 2012‐2013, the Center hosted 1,275 event days, bringing in over 360,000 total a endees. In the same year, The Classic Center helped create 806 new jobs in Athens. The Center’s impact was recently recognized by the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, which named The Classic Center a top four economic driver for Athens‐Clarke County.

The Classic Center has already booked 47 new groups as a direct result of the expansion; these groups will bring over $36 million in economic impact over a five year period.

In 2013, The Classic Center Authority booked 42,155 room nights; the Authority is on track to actualize 58,000 in 2014. Future booked room nights have also seen a drama c increase, rising 125% from 2011 to 2013.

With the addi on of the new Classic Center Arena, The Classic Center now has the ability to host large sports tournaments. The venue features a 17,000‐square‐foot removable ice rink and telescopic sea ng for up to 2,000 fans. The Arena is the new home of the UGA Ice Dogs, as well as the Classic City Rollergirls.

The removable ice rink also will allow The Classic Center to host ice entertainment shows and to offer public ska ng for the holiday season.

The Classic Center looks forward to diversifying the entertainment op ons available to our community and strengthening the appeal of downtown Athens as a tourist a rac on.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT www.AthensBusiness.org 706-613-3233

“The Classic Center is a large piece of the Athens‐Clarke County economic development pie. Its large number of events help keep the hotels,

downtown shops and restaurants full all year long. This des na on and a rac on adds to the cultural diversity and density that make

Athens unique. With their recent expansion, The Classic Center will con nue to pay dividends to the ci zens of Athens‐Clarke County for a

long me to come.”

– Ryan Moore, Director of the Athens‐Clarke County Economic Development Department

Economic Impact of the

EXPANSION

The new 17,000 sq. . removable ice rink which is the home to the UGA Ice Dogs and the Classic City Rollergirls

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Summer 2014

Just a few of the organizations that would have chosen another venue without the Classic Center Expansion.

3,500 a endees

3,500 a endees 1,500 a endees

5,000 a endees

3,000 a endees

20,000 a endees

200 a endees

2,800 a endees

750 a endees 5,000 a endees This conference was hosted in Macon for the past

30 years and has chosen to move to Athens.

Future Bookings Future Room

Nights Attendees

Estimated Economic Impact

March 2014 9 10,314 3,925 $2,602,250

April 2014 3 1,645 2,406 $890,774

May 2014 5 1,780 4,360 $1,206,656

Total for Quarter 17 13,739 10,691 $4,699,680

YTD 36 24,237 25,237 $18,206,969

Future Bookings are confirmed events under contract with a venue and/or hotels.

Future Room Nights are the number of rooms secured on behalf of the event with rate commitments and group contracts.

Attendees is the estimated number of people to attend the contracted events.

Economic Impact is estimated using the following formulas from Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI)- estimated spending per day per attendee is $214.64 for conventions, $297.11 for conventions with trade shows and $150.27 for a sporting event.

Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau Sales Report

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A collabora ve economic development familiariza on tour of Athens‐Clarke & Oconee coun es

Northeast Georgia is on the rise, and the coun es of Athens‐Clarke and Oconee are the crown jewels of this growing region. On May 1st and 2nd, Athens‐Clarke County and Oconee County teamed up to offer The Perspec ve on Progress Tour for site‐selec on execu ves from across the country. This tour showcased what the region has to offer, not only in terms of available land inventory and expert consulta on, but also in terms of quality of life highlights.

Regarded as one of the state’s top areas to live by countless surveys and publica ons, Athens‐Clarke County and Oconee County are open for business. With two of the best public school systems in the state, as well as a premier research ins tu on in the University of Georgia, the region is primed for growth. When most people think of Athens they only think of the Bulldogs. Yes, we love our Bulldogs but we are so much more.

Our guests were first welcomed to our region by Athens Mayor Nancy Denson and Oconee County Commission Chairman, Melvin Davis who shared their experiences of being a local. They also heard from Jon Williams, President of Williams & Associates and Representa ve of Oconee County Economic Chamber and Economic Development Commi ee and who played a huge role in our region’s recent successes who shared his insights on the area.

The tour then hopped on the bus to travel through the Athena Industrial Park which features a mul tude of enterprises that are na onally and even interna onally known. Some may be surprised to learn they operate here in Athens‐Clarke County. Businesses such as CertainTeed, Noramco, Ethicon, Carrier Transicold, Merial, and Nakanishi, just to name a few. Athena Industrial Park has easy access to the Athens Perimeter and Hwy 29 N which goes directly to I‐85.

The first stop was at Athens Technical College. Our guests eye witnessed how Athens Technical College is mee ng the needs of area businesses in preparing our educated workforce with programs like QuickStart which developed the successful Caterpillar Training

Program. Execu ve Vice President, Dr. Daniel Smith, illustrated how Athens Technical College is an asset to our community by suppor ng growth and the recent influx of jobs to Athens‐Clarke and Oconee coun es.

A er lunch at the Thompson House and Gardens in Bogart, the tour made its next stop at the spectacular Caterpillar Plant for a up close look. The group geared up in their hard hats and safety goggles and experienced the product of Athens‐Clarke and Oconee Coun es’ shared vision and collabora on which earned the region Business Facili es’ Deal of the Year Award in 2012. They saw the plant in ac on from welding to assembly and learned how our two coun es worked together to bring it to frui on for our region.

A er Caterpillar, Rusty Haygood, Director for the Oconee County Economic Development Department, toured the group through some of the best industrial, commercial and medical sites in the state.

A er a full day of exploring the region’s assets, the tour visited our newest paragon of well‐cra ed beer, Creature Comforts. They took


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a behind‐the‐scenes tour of the brewery housed in a renovated automo ve re facility, and encountered how Athens preserves her past while building businesses for the future.

The day ended with cocktails, dinner and music at Athens’ Hotel Indigo’s Rialto Room. Named a er the legendary Rialto Ballroom in Liverpool, England, The Rialto Room is a wonderful venue for experiencing unforge able musical performances. This charming and in mate space was the perfect place to relax and experience some of the very best food and entertainment that the region has to offer. Athens may not be the first place you think of to indulge in European‐style fair, but The Na onal Restaurant under Chef Peter Dale has some of the best Mediterranean‐inspired food available anywhere. His restaurant is located in downtown Athens in a restored 1950’s Plymouth car dealership and re recap plant. The award‐winning chef and Athens na ve prepared a gourmet meal for our guests. Peter, passionate about beau ful food, cooks fabulously fresh, perfectly seasoned, sustainably farmed foods and seafood that reflect the changing seasons in Northeast Georgia. In 2012, Dale was named Food & Wine magazine’s The People’s Best New Chef Southeast.

The beau ful Hotel Indigo, the only LEED‐cer fied hotel in Athens‐Clarke County, hosted this special evening. Chris Carr, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, spoke to our guests about the success of our region and how their department works with the local communi es. The entertainment for the evening was the iconic Athenian, Randall Bramble , whose most recent successes include a new album release and the inclusion of one of his songs on Bonnie Rai ’s latest album, Slipstream. His music gave our guests just a small taste of the talent that is brewing from our small community.

The next day of the tour began bright and early at 8AM. Our guests got a li le help from our local morning fuel in the orange cup be er known as Ji ery Joe’s Coffee when they enjoyed breakfast at the Roaster. Then it was off to our local European style art house theatre, Cine’, for a Roundtable Panel which offered the group a chance to ask their ques ons to some of our local experts.

Next they ventured on a walking tour of the University of Georgia campus. Tour guides from the Arch Founda on shared history and insights of our state’s first chartered university. The group then discovered more local culture at the Georgia Museum of Art, where University of Georgia President, Jere W. Morehead presented the keynote address and concluded the tour.

“The area does it right, it is first class. WE are seeing the sites that are available, hearing success stories from other businesses here in the area, and so I think it is a win-win for both parties.”

“When you look at their amenities like Creature C o m f o r t s b r e w e r y , Terrapin Brewery, the music scene here, the cultural things, young talent IS gonna wanna live here.”

“the perfect combination of arts, culture, and industrial side of development, it gives you an opportunity to get in a community, touch and feel it, and understand how your clients would feel when they were hosted as a guest and you would see that the red carpet will be rolled out.”

“It was unbelievable. I was under the impression that this was a college town but I was very pleasantly surprised that yes it is but it IS not that either. It was a great mix of enjoyment and also business. It Is a great place to raise a family but it Is a wonderful business environment.”

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Ma Walker Plant Manager, Carrier Transicold Hometown: Shelby Township, MI University: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Oakland University Why I chose Athens‐Clarke County for business?

My family and I relocated, when presented the opportunity to run the opera on with has been in the Athens community for over 25 years. The Carrier Transicold facility manufactures Truck/Trailer/Rail refrigera on and generator units for the transporta on industry. Our products are used to keep cargo safe in regards to temperature control. Community Insight? The local community provides the balance of a small town feel with some of the benefits of a large metropolitan city in regards to transporta on access, ameni es and infrastructure.

"Jinx" Patel Research Director and President, Athens Research and Technology, Inc. and General Partner, ARTBIO, LLC. Hometown: Beckley, WV University: Bachelor’s Degree from Randolph‐Macon Woman’s College Ph. D. from Washington University

Why I chose Athens‐Clarke County for business? In 1967 I moved to Athens with my husband, Gordhan L. Patel, when he accepted a faculty posi on at the University of Georgia. I worked as a post‐doctoral fellow/Research Associate at the University while rearing two daughters. Then, in the 1982, the federal government, interested in moving technology developed by Universi es to the market place, created the Small Business Innova ve Research Grant program under the Small Business Innova on Development Act. Partly in response to this, Athens Research and Technology, Inc. (ART) was formed in 1986 by a group of pathologists and a professor in the Biochemistry Department at the University of Georgia. I was hired as the first employee of the newly formed company to head up the laboratory. Lynn Bryant, an MBA graduate, was the second employee and is at present, the CEO of ART. The two of us – Lynn

and I – have directed the business of ART for the past twenty‐eight years. Our special exper se is protein purifica on. Specifically, we purify proteins from human plasma and other human ssue as well as from animal sources. These purified proteins are sold as biomedical research reagents to the interna onal research community – universi es, na onal ins tutes, medical schools, and pharmaceu cal and biotech companies. We also perform custom contract work for all of these types of ins tu ons, but at present, mainly for pharmaceu cal and biotech companies. We help in the development of biotherapeu cs, provide protein components for diagnos c kits, screenings, cell culture media, as well as for calibra on and control standards. Community Insight? My most favorite aspect of doing business here in Athens is the opportunity of working with ART’s wonderful employees. Of course, the fact – Athens‐Clarke is a university town – is very important to our type of business since we use the libraries and service facili es and have access to faculty and students at the University of Georgia. Having lived in Athens‐Clarke for over forty years, I must emphasize the important benefits of having the wonderful variety of music from the UGA Performing Arts Center and the Athens Classic Center to the Georgia Theatre and also the variety of art from the Georgia Museum of Art to the individual ar sts using different media from oil to clay.

Jim Flannery Co‐founder Four Athens, an organiza on designed to connect the startup community to the money, mentors, and talent they need to succeed. Hometown: Bridgewater, NJ University: Princeton University

Why I chose Athens‐Clarke County for business? Athens chose me. I moved here in 2009 with no inten on of star ng a company, but feel in love with the town and since I didn't have a job, I started a company with some great partners. Athens is uniquely posi oned to be home to a great tech startup community due to its low cost of living, highly educated and crea ve young, popula on. Community Insight? Athens is a fantas c place for companies looking for a young, educated workforce focused on crea ng posi ve change. The University of Georgia offers an amazing resource to the business community.


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Summer 2014 17

B ond, James Bond. Revenue Bonds, Treasury bonds,

derma bond… What is a bond and how do we use it in

Economic Development? Bonds are a tool that can be

used by local government to finance public projects or

to incent private development. Bonds for tle are the most

common bond issued for economic development projects and are

different than a general obliga on bond.

A general obliga on bond is used by local government to finance

projects and is secured by the government’s pledge to use all

legally available means to repay the bonds. Most o en, general

obliga ons are repaid with property tax or sales tax revenue. As an

example of a general obliga on bond, in 2011 Athens‐Clarke

County approved a Special Local Op onal Sales Tax (SPLOST)

referendum that included 35 projects at a total cost of

approximately $195,272,000. These projects will be funded with

periodic general obliga on bond issuances. Bonding these future

revenues allows Athens‐Clarke County to invest in capital

improvement projects that would otherwise be funded through

local property taxa on. These projects will be completed over a

nine year period and include the recent Jail and Classic Center

expansions. Since our community is a net importer of tourism, we

are able to collect sales tax from visitors to our community and use

these revenues to invest in our infrastructure.

As indicated, the local community is obligated to repay general

obliga on bonds from legally available resources, no different than

each of us who writes a check to the mortgage company each

month; this bill has to be paid. But what about bonds that allow for

property tax savings in economic development projects, is the local

community obligated to pay those back as well? No! In most cases,

the community is not obligated financially in these transac ons.

Although there are different types of economic development

bonds that have different implica ons, the most common type of

bonds issued for economic development projects are bonds for

tle. In the State of Georgia, local communi es can u lize a

Development Authority to offer property tax savings to qualifying

projects. Generally speaking, the tle to the project is held by the

Development Authority and the project is leased back to the

company. An equity ramp‐up schedule is put into place that allows

for tax savings over a certain period of me. The company

maintains control of the project at all mes during this

arrangement.

As a part of these agreements, the company will also commit to

certain community benefits that usually include job crea on

thresholds and minimum levels of investment in the project. These

commitments are made at the outset and are backed by certain

“claw backs” in the agreement. In most cases, should the company

fail to perform its obliga ons, the company is required to repay any

tax savings or benefit otherwise given them on a pro‐rata basis.

A successful use of bonds for tle is the Caterpillar project which

will eventually employ over 1,000 people and represents a $200M

capital investment. The Development Authority was able to u lize

the bond structure to offer property tax savings to Caterpillar. This

incen ve was integral in Caterpillar’s site selec on and foregoing a

por on of future property tax revenue ensured that their

investment was made in Athens‐Clarke County.

So it is important to note that general obliga on bonds and bonds

for tle are u lized for different projects. Generally speaking,

bonds for tle do not financially obligate the local government, and

are backed by commitments from the company. These bonds are

just one tool of many that a community may use to incen vize job

crea on and capital investment.

From the Director

Bonds in Economic Development by Ryan Moore

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Featured Building

Approximately 10,000 sq. . of office

257,000 sq. . of older warehouse space (brick

construc on) with 17’ ceiling heights

100,000 sq. . of newer warehouse space (metal

construc on) with 24’ ceiling heights

Heavy powered and fully sprinklered

Mul ple dock height loading bays

425 automobile parking spaces and 20 trailer

parking spaces

Across the street from Terrapin Brewery and

down the street from Evergreen Packaging

+/‐ 34.5 acres; zoned Pure Industrial

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT www.AthensBusiness.org 706-613-3233

WestCLOX Building

100 Newton Bridge Road, Athens, GA 30607 +/‐ 357,000 Square Feet for Sale

34.5 acres

357,000 sq. ft.

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Featured Acreage Invista Site

Transportation

Acreage Price: $30,000

Location Address: 110 Voyles Road Athens, GA 30601

Lot Size: 336 acres

Will Subdivide?: Yes

Zoning: E‐I

Millage Rate: 13.70

Gas: Customer Choice (4 in)

Water: Athens‐Clarke Water (16 in)

Sewer: Athens‐Clarke Sewer (8 in)

Electricity: Jackson EMC

Fire Protection: Athens‐Clarke County (ISO 2)

Nearest Interstate: I‐85 (19 miles)

Nearest Georgia Port: Port of Savannah Garden City Terminal (180 miles)

Nearest International Airport: Hartsfield‐Jackson Atlanta Interna onal (68 miles)

Rail Served Yes

Taxes & Incentives Freeport Taxes: 100% Exemp on, Class 1 Raw Materials, Class 2 Goods in Process/Finished Goods, Class 3 Trans‐Shipment Goods, Tier 1:

Job Tax Credits $4,000 per job, 5% Investment Tax Credit, & other Tax Incen ves

Property Information

Utilities

The property lies well and can be easily developed for an

industrial user. The site borders CSX Rail and is just off a side

tract which could possibly be extended to serve the property.

The property is par ally wooded with roughly 31 acres

currently being used as row crop land. There is a small area of

wetlands in the rear of the property which is ideally suited for

deten on.

The property is located at the intersec on of Olympic Drive and Voyles Road within Athena Industrial Park with easy access to US Hwy 72

and Hwy 29.

Location in Athens Accessibility to Interstates

Summer 2014

To I-20 W to Atlanta: 50 miles

To I-16S to Savannah: 102 miles To I- 20 E

to Augusta: 40 miles

To I-85 N to Charlotte:19 miles

To I-85 S to Atlanta:

50 miles

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