The Development Authority of Bulloch County (DABC) is providing an update regarding the expansion of economic opportunities as well as the status of several previously announced manufacturing operations.
"Our stakeholders have given us the task to expand economic opportunities by growing, attracting, developing, and supporting new and existing business in our community. Ever since I began working for the Development Authority 13 years ago, we have stayed true to this mission, and I believe it's been the core mission of the Authority since it was created in 1983," said DABC's CEO Benjy Thompson.
In the past 18 months, the DABC has announced projects totaling more than $937 million in investments and 1,567 jobs. These projects include:
- Aspen Aerogels, 250 jobs, $325 Million (MM) investment
- Joon Georgia, 630 jobs, $317MM investment
- Revalyu, 71 jobs, $50MM investment
- Ecoplastic, 456 jobs, $205MM investment
- Hanon Systems, 160 jobs, $40MM investment
"We appreciate the support that we have received from our partners over the years that has helped to make these jobs and investments in the community possible," Thompson said. "While we are a separate entity from Bulloch County government, we are funded primarily through the county budget; and our board members are appointed by the Bulloch County Commission. Throughout my tenure with the authority, we have been tasked by our county commissioners to bring growth, specifically industrial growth, to our county, and we have taken strategic and meaningful steps to achieve that growth. Examples include the DABC and the county purchasing what is now the Bruce Yawn Commerce Park in 2010. More recently, Bulloch County and the city of Statesboro extended water, wastewater, and natural gas utilities to the park and the county secured funding to construct road infrastructure in the park. In addition, Bulloch County created a Tax Allocation District to support development in the 1,700-plus acres encompassing the I-16/Highway 301 interchange. All of this would not have been possible without the support that the county, city, and other partners provided to the authority’s efforts to bring industrial development to the park and the county."
The DABC has provided incentives that are meant to deliver substantial benefits to Bulloch County (including discounted DABC-owned land and abatement of County taxes for a period of years, among other things). However, each of the projects should provide net gains for the community over time, as suggested by WebLOCI Fiscal Impact Analysis.
“If the projects don’t reach their commitments for job creation and capital investment, each project includes Clawbacks designed to repay the community for the incentive value provided,” said Thompson.
To learn more about the Authority of Bulloch County, click here.
