Tuesday, October 31, 2023–11:35 a.m.
-David Crowder, WRGA News-
More good news on the economic development front.
Yesterday it was announced that Microsoft will be making a $1 billion investment and creating 150 high-paying new jobs in Rome with the opening of a data center campus on 347 acres on Huffaker Road.
It has now been announced that F&P Georgia will be expanding.
“F&P is one of our largest employers here and is a very valued member of our existing industry community,” said Missy Kendrick, President and CEO of the Rome-Floyd County Development Authority. “They have just gotten a contract with Tesla and also with Honda. So, they are going to be expanding and adding about $22 million in new lines at their current facility, along with 25 jobs. They are currently at about 520 employees.”
She explained why new industries and the expansion of existing industries are important for the local tax base.
“Ultimately, what you want is to have a balanced tax base, meaning that you have as much in business and industry as you do in residential,” she said. “It costs more to provide services to the residences than it does to provide those same services to business and industry, yet they pay the same amount of taxes. So, you want to bring in business and industry to support the services that are going to be used on the residential side.”
The F&P facility is located on Enterprise Drive in the Floyd County Industrial Park off Cedartown Highway.