Georgia Lands Record Number of Economic Development Projects

Georgia state seal ATLANTA, July 28, 2009 — Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that the Georgia Department of Economic Development's (GDEcD) year-end figures for Fiscal Year 2009 held strong despite the national economic downturn. The number of project announcements and prospect leads increased, the Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Division had a banner year and tourism continues to be a strong driver of the state's economy. 'As our nation faced enormous economic challenges, the state worked hard to lessen the impact on Georgians,' said Governor Perdue. 'Despite the uncertainty of our country's business environment, we landed a record number of new projects, keeping Georgia the economic engine of the South and setting up our state to be a leader in the recovery.' GDEcD assisted companies with 327 new locations or expansions in FY 2009, up from 321 last year. The number of qualified business leads developed by GDEcD staff increased 1.2 percent, continuing an upward trend. In addition, the International Trade division assisted 725 Georgia companies and helped close 219 deals in 42 countries. The number of trade deals increased more than 30 percent, and the dollar amount improved almost 67 percent, to $29.1 million. 'Like many states, Georgia has felt the effects of the global recession. Our response is to knock on more doors and seek more opportunities for jobs and investment in the state, whether through expanding businesses, increased tourism or new entertainment projects,' said Ken Stewart, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. 'We are focused on gaining market share, and recent announcements like the NCR headquarters relocation to Georgia show that we are headed in the right direction.' Highlights of the year include landing NCR Corporation's decision to locate its headquarters, customer service functions and a new manufacturing facility in Georgia; hosting the 2009 BIO International Convention, which drew more than 14,000 attendees to Atlanta; and passage of the Georgia Business Expansion Support Act, which streamlined business incentives.   Forty percent of GDEcD's projects were created by entrepreneurs and small businesses, demonstrating the effectiveness of the department's regional project managers. Fourteen percent were international projects, representing a continuation of strong foreign direct investment. Jobs and investment touched many parts of the state, with 73 percent announced for areas other than the major metropolitan regions of Atlanta, Macon, Savannah, Augusta and Columbus. Expansions of existing Georgia businesses represented 68 percent of the project total. The passage of the Georgia Entertainment Investment Act in May 2008 has made the state a top destination for film and TV production. Georgia realized $521 million in investment from entertainment projects in fiscal 2009, up from $261 million in FY08 and an all-time high. The economic impact of the industry was a record-breaking $929 million, up from $465 million in FY08. Among the projects filmed in Georgia were 26 feature films, 196 commercials and 36 other TV-related projects, 36 music videos and seven video game productions.   Georgia's preliminary tourism results showed the state's second largest industry doing well in the face of national decreases in travel. In calendar year 2008, the most recent year for which results are available, Travel Industry Association of America data shows the direct impact of Georgia tourism in the state inched up 1.7 percent, to $19 billion. Preliminary data for visitation to the state's 11 Visitor Information Centers (VICs) indicates 11.6 million people visited the centers this year. To counteract a nationwide trend of sluggishness in the travel industry, GDEcD is encouraging Georgia residents to visit attractions in the state and targeting regional drive traffic. Specifically, Georgia's network of state parks offer a close, low-cost alternative for families looking to enjoy some time together outdoors.  A heightened focus on international travelers, who stay longer and spend more money, along with several new social media initiatives, are helping Georgia gain market share. The State of Georgia's fiscal year 2009 encompasses the period of July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009.  Below is a list of the top ten economic development projects for FY 2009. TOP 10 PROJECTS FOR FY2009

  • NCR, 1250 jobs, $42 million investment, Gwinnett County, Headquarters
  • NCR, 916 jobs, $15 million investment, Fayette County, Expansion
  • Cbeyond, 625 jobs, $154 million investment, Cobb County, Expansion
  • Verizon Wireless, 600 jobs, $27 million investment, Fulton County, Expansion
  • NCR, 573 jobs, $19 million investment, Muscogee County, New Location
  • First Data, 500 jobs, $50 million investment, Fulton County, Expansion
  • Cancer Treatment Centers of America, 500 jobs, $30 million investment, Coweta County, New Location
  • Toyo Tire, 400 jobs, $270 million investment, Bartow County, Expansion
  • Hyundai Powertech, 355 jobs, $150 million investment, Troup County, New Location
  • Chicken of the Sea, 310 jobs, $20 million investment, Toombs County, New Location