Georgia County Government - October 2008 - (Page 20) SOUTH GEORGIA continued from page 19 The billboard should pay off, Hall points out, because the traffic count on I-75 going through the county is approximately 55,000 vehicles per 24-hour period. Cook County Manager Bill Twomey reports that a 3,000-acre site on I-75 near Adel – 18 miles from Valdosta and two hours from Jacksonville or Atlanta – is being developed in three phases as the South Cook Industrial Corridor. Phase I this past winter cleared 350 acres, ready for building. When completed, the park will offer lot sizes between 5 acres and 1,000 acres. Water and sewer infrastructure will be available on 1,000 acres. Two interstate exits serve the site, as well as Norfolk Southern Railroad, which runs through the park. Through the efforts of the Cook County Economic Development Commission, companies that have located in Cook County number 12 since 2002, creating 468 jobs and bringing an investment of $64 million. Nine companies have expanded since then, creating another 174 jobs. The Commission has also assisted to keep two companies from closing and helped obtain grant funding totaling $5.2 million. Cook County is especially proud of the South Georgia Motorsports Park, and the prospects for economic vitality it is expected to promote. The $5 million the community invested to build the park is anticipated to usher in an estimated $37 million per year in local economic impact. “We expect more than 225,000 to visit the park annually,” Waldron notes. “The economic impact will be felt by the whole region. Over 30 full-time jobs will be created and as a direct result of the project, over 100 more jobs will ensue from businesses and commercial establishments that serve the race track park.” Workforce Development According to John Leonard, Sherry Davidson and Marty LeFiles of the South Georgia RDC, all counties in the region are becoming certified Georgia Work-Ready communities, and all take advantage of across-the-board workforce development programs through QuickStart, the state’s economic development initiative, administered by the Georgia RDCs. The South Georgia Workforce Development Board sponsors programs administered by the RDC. Services offered include classroom training at local technical colleges, GED preparation classes in computer labs (in Tifton and Valdosta), personal career planning and job placement assistance, workforce development program assistance in conjunction with grants, and programs to assist with tuition and other education expenses, as well as youth programs (in addition to GED prep) like work readiness training, work experience and individual training at local technical colleges. LeFiles adds: “Through contracts with area industries, we contract to provide on-the-job training, support services and whatever is needed to get the appropriate workforce to the industries in the region.” Educational institutions in the area bolstering the workforce development initiatives here include Moultrie Technical College and Valdosta Technical College, which operates a satellite campus in Cook County. Also in 20 GEORGIA 394973_cobb.indd 1 COUNTY GOVERNMENT 8/15/08 2:44:24 PM http://www.cobbcounty.org
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