Audi Coming To Middle Georgia
One of the biggest news stories of the year happened this week when it was announced that German automaker Audi will build a huge production facility near Warner Robins.
From Governor Kemp’s press release:
ATLANTA – Governor Brian P. Kemp and Gernot Döllner, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, announced that Audi will open its first U.S. manufacturing facility in the State of Georgia. Headquartered in Ingolstadt, Germany, Audi plans to invest approximately $4 billion in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at the Middle Georgia Megasite, delivering approximately 4,500 new jobs to middle Georgia.
“We are proud that Audi has selected Georgia as the home of their first U.S. manufacturing facility, delivering truly historic investment and jobs to middle Georgia,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “Following the success we’ve enjoyed with other megasites, we purchased and made more improvements to the Middle Georgia Megasite for just this purpose: to bring a job-creating, high-caliber automotive manufacturer to this region. I want to thank the countless professionals from Peach, Macon-Bibb, and Houston counties in the Mid-Georgia Gateway JDA who helped make this happen. We are excited for hardworking Georgians in Peach County and the entire middle Georgia region to benefit from this project for decades to come. On behalf of the State of Georgia, we are honored to welcome Audi to our state!”
Huge news for Middle Georgia!
The AJC had a fascinating story about how this all came about. You should read the entire article, but this section caught my eye:
Kemp credits much of that success to a deliberate strategy to prepare massive industrial sites before manufacturers come calling.
“It couldn’t just be, you know, a piece of land,” Kemp said. “It had to be a piece of land that was either graded or the state-owned, or we had a utility plan.”
Along with workforce development and logistical advantages, Kemp said, “speed to market” has become a decisive factor in landing major manufacturers.
“We’ve had numerous offers for this site to be considered for smaller projects, but the goal was to find the right project to take down the entire site,” Wilson said.
“We didn’t want it to be an industrial park,” he continued. “We wanted it to be a major regional employer that will change the trajectory of the region.”
Along with workforce development and logistical advantages, Kemp said, “speed to market” has become a decisive factor in landing major manufacturers.
Starting in 2022, the state began acquiring land in Peach County that eventually became the Middle Georgia Megasite, spanning about 2,400 acresalong Ga. 96. Wilson said it held the potential for transformational projects, which led to state and local leaders staving off other interested companies.
Kudos to Governor Kemp, his team, and everyone involved in landing this deal.
