Dublin-Laurens County Development Authority acquires 331 acre strategic rail-served site

February 26, 2015

After due diligence and long-term planning, the Dublin-Laurens County Development Authority (DLCDA) elected to proceed with the purchase of a 331 acre industrial tract at the intersection of GA Hwy 257 and US Hwy 441 Bypass. The acquisition will provide the community with a rail-served site to offer potential industrial clients interested in locating in Laurens County. Prior to the acquisition, the Authority did not own any property available with rail connectivity. The recent success in locating Erdrich USA, Inc. and Valmiera Glass USA Corp. in the Development Authority’s I-16 Industrial Park was another factor that contributed to the need to secure additional property to market.

“We have been a victim of our own success,” said Scott Beasley, DLCDA Chairman during the majority of 2014. “It was imperative for us to identify new real estate in a strategic location with rail access that will continue to give us a competitive advantage in recruitment. I am proud that we were able to accomplish that effort during my time as Chairman, and I am very excited about the future of the GA Hwy 257 tract.”

The acquisition of this site was a priority of the Development Authority, and it was supported unanimously by the current Chairman, Dr. Fred Williams, and all members of the Authority.

“Having adequate product to market is a critical ingredient in a successful economic development program.  Putting this site in our inventory allows us to have the resources to continue the Development Authority’s job creation success moving forward,” said Dr. Fred Williams, DLCDA Chairman.

The 331 acre tract is strategically located across from Best Buy’s Southeast Regional Distribution Center at the intersection of US Hwy 441 Bypass and GA Hwy 257.  It has four lane access from the site to I-16 which will provide a logistics advantage for companies locating there. 
In 2003, the site was identified by Georgia Tech as a top three industrial site location in Laurens County. The site is served with a full range of utilities provided by the City of Dublin including natural gas, water, sewer, and telecommunications infrastructure. DLCDA staff has already completed environmental and wetlands studies, and the economic development team from Georgia EMC is working with the Development Authority Board of Directors on an overall master plan layout of the site. 

The Development Authority would like to thank the Laurens County Board of Commissioners and the City of Dublin for their strong support of this site acquisition, for providing the resources to allow this project to move forward, and for their strong commitment to job creation.

About DLCDA
The Dublin-Laurens County Development Authority is a publicly funded economic development organization with the mission of providing industrial recruitment efforts, and promoting and supporting existing industries in Dublin-Laurens County. Over the past five years, the DLCDA has participated in the creation of over 947 new jobs with a corresponding capital investment of $183 million. The Authority has also assisted with key expansions with a number of existing industries. The DLCDA Board consists of Dr. Fred Williams, Chairman; Roger Folsom, Vice-Chairman; Phil Gay, Secretary/Treasurer; Jimmy Allgood, Scott Beasley, Guy Cochran, and James Malone.
For more information, visit http://www.dublinlaurensgeorgia.com.