News

Message from Southeast Georgia Alliance Chairman, James Coughlin Greetings from your beautiful Georgia coast!  We so miss hosting you here and visiting you in Atlanta.  Hopefully we’ll soon be able to return to the type of face-to-face relationship building that makes this business so great!  Here in Southeast Georgia, we have worked together to share ideas that have allowed us to not just survive, but thrive during this past year.  I hope you’ll enjoy learning about the activity taking place throughout the region in this new quarterly newsletter. From a new company coming to Brantley County to a new industrial park [...]

Project Peach to invest at least $250M in the Golden Isles The utility providers in Georgia are leading the way to make our state a national leader in renewable energy. According to U.S. Energy Information Administration, renewable energy accounted for 9.2% of the total energy consumption in Georgia in 2018. As the state strives to increase the production and consumption of renewable sources, the Golden Isles has an opportunity to support renewable energy in Georgia. The potential for solar energy use in Georgia is dependent upon the amount of sun shining on the earth’s surface called “solar insolation.” Several factors such as weather patterns, [...]

Technology has been an essential tool in helping communities’ market their assets to attract and retain business; however, no amount of flyover videos or site selection maps can replace a conversation’s value. With just over a year before their lease was set to expire, the site selection team for Weyerhaeuser struggled to identify the ideal location to build their new 7,000 square foot regional timberlands office building. After an extensive search with a local broker and exhausting all advertised properties on popular site-selection tools, the team reached out to us, the Golden Isles Development Authority (GIDA). After that first conversation, we [...]

CARES ACT RECOVERY ASSISTANCE LOAN FUND HOME » CARES ACT RECOVERY ASSISTANCE LOAN FUND INTRODUCTION On July 23, 2020, Coastal Area District Development Authority, Inc. (CADDA) was awarded $10 million from the Economic Development Administration to launch a CARES ACT Recovery Assistance Loan Fund to assist businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The EDA CARES ACT Revolving Loan Fund provides economic assistance to businesses within a nine-county region of Coastal Georgia including Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, and McIntosh.PURPOSE The loan proceeds are for recovery assistance to those businesses that demonstrate a creditworthy track record prior to the COVID-19 pandemic [...]

Politics of Trade: How are Georgia Companies Impacted?   Thursday, Feb. 25, 11 a.m. Virtual via Zoom This program is free, but registration is required. Register here. The election is over, so now what? Georgia Southern University Assistant Professor and Faculty Senator in the Department of Political Science and International Studies Dr. Christopher Brown will discuss the possible impacts of the recent election on global trade and what Georgia companies need to know. Join us for this virtual program, and contact LeAndrea Mikell with any questions and/or regarding sponsorship opportunities.      

  WAYNE COMMERCE CENTER   The Wayne County IDA recently purchased 312 acres off of U.S. Highway 84 on the West side of Jesup for development of Wayne Commerce Center, a new industrial/commerce park. The current industrial park on Sunset Boulevard that was established in the 1960’s is nearly full with only two lots remaining, neither of which meets the preferred minimal 50 acre size that prospects often require. The new park will have eight lots with three of those in the 50-acre range. Access to city water and sewer as well as natural gas will be available. The authority has [...]

  New owners to re-open Piggly Wiggly this spring at its former location in Jesup’s Cherry Street City Center under the new ownership of Reynolds Foodliner Inc. President Tom Coogle said, “We are excited and looking forward to coming to Jesup. Wayne County is the type of community we like to locate in, and we pride ourselves on how we operate. Each Piggly Wiggly is independently owned and is only as good as its operator. We hire the best of the best, and we work to offer a level of service and items that communities this size may not see.” He [...]

Supporting the Sporting and Munitions Industry in the Golden Isles Southern Ballistics Research, LLC recipient of the first Share the Future award of 2021 As a business owner, what keeps you up at night? This is one of the questions that Sherri Pruitt, Business Retention and Expansion Coordinator, may ask when she meets with area companies. Sherri understands the value that a single meeting can have for the region: “This year I’ve personally met with dozens of local business owners in order to understand their needs and help supply them with the best resources and programs to enhance the overall business [...]

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS COMING TO JESUP   Robert Wiggins, Jr., of RTC Investments in Baxley, GA, is happy to announce that their company has acquired the franchise rights to IHG’s Holiday Inn Express for Jesup. The location has been narrowed down to 2 separate land parcels. Construction of the hotel is planned to begin in March 2021, with an opening date of late 2021. IHG Franchises are in 33 countries around the world. There are over 2800 units open and over 700 in construction. The Holiday Inn Express brand offers competitive rates for both business and leisure travelers. The Jesup franchise [...]

Participating in the Oaks on the River Luxury Boutique Resort groundbreaking were, from left, Darien Mayor Hugh “Bubba” Hodge; Bernard Sarme, managing director of Oaks on the River Luxury Boutique; McIntosh County Commission Chairman David Stevens; Art Lucas, president and Founder of Oaks on the River Luxury Boutique Resort; Dawn Malin, president and CEO of the McIntosh County Industrial Development Authority; and Joe Fraser, President of Fraser Construction Company. Provided photo A group of dignitaries and guests gathered Wednesday to mark the ceremonial groundbreaking for the newest addition to Darien’s historic waterfront revival, Oaks on the River Luxury Boutique Resort. Led [...]