With the Hyundai Meta Plant under construction in Bryan County, other area communities are being looked at to build other plants who will supply materials, including Toombs County. The problem was with two industrial parks almost filled, there was no land to offer prospects. However, that all changed Thursday.
Michele Johnson, Executive Director of the Toombs County Development Authority said the acquisition of an addition 604.83 acres adjacent to the park on U.S. Highway #1 North in Lyons has been purchased to develop publicly owned industrial sites.
According to Johnson, there are ample opportunities for project to come to Toombs County, but she adds that there must be a product to market, and until Thursday, options were very slim. But with the acquisition of this tract of land, Toombs County will continue to provide companies with strategic locations operation and said she and the members of Board of Directors of the Development Authority along with elected officials are looking forward to working with economic development partners in growing jobs and prosperity in the county.
Johnson said the Authority, government and utility partners will immediately begin work to develop the site, including transportation and infrastructure. The park will ultimately include multiple property types completed through both build-to-suit, and speculative buildings for prospective development.
“Acquisition of this site, the largest in the Authority’s history, reflects our strategy to invest in local community economic development efforts for the purpose of promoting Toombs County as a premier location for industrial development and expansion in an effort to create jobs, diversity the tax base, and improve the quality of life for citizens,” said Chair Tim Truxel. “Toombs County may be particularly attractive for industrial development due to its growing economy, access to transportation networks, increasing port activity, skilled workforce, and collaborative culture.”
"Industrial parks don't fill up overnight," said Committee Chair Trent Williams. "These are big projects. They require a lot of time, nurturing, and relationship-building. The acquisition process actually took several years, but that whole process can really begin now that we have the land."
The purchase price of the 604.83 acres was $3.5 million, but that cost will not be cumbersome for taxpayers or cause any additional increase in taxes based on the land purchase. The Toombs County Development Authority already receives 1 mil of taxes each year, and the Authority will use those funds to pay the debt on the property.
The funding will be provided through local financial institutions.
