Monday, September 8, 2025–7:35 p.m.
-David Crowder, WRGA News-
Rome City Commissioners got an update Monday night from the Rome-Floyd County Development Authority’s new President and CEO, Spencer Hogg.
“When I get out of bed in the morning, I make my first priority to do anything in my power to increase the affluence and economic viability of this community and its citizens,” he told commissioners. “I’m looking very forward to the opportunity to do that. I’m always saying to take care of our existing businesses and existing industries first and foremost, and make sure they continue to prosper. Then, carry out a targeted growth strategy to bring in new jobs that benefit the community and the citizens.”
Of course, one topic of the conversation dealt with data centers.
“It’s no secret that is a tremendous growth category nationwide, and frankly, globally,” Hogg said. “I think that as we look to the future of industry and the future of manufacturing, those data centers a core, and frankly, a hub for where industries in the future choose to locate, due to not only their storage capacity, but also their AI computing capacity. I think we are well-positioned to be a leader on that front in this community.”
The development authority recently approved the sale of property in the Battey Business Complex in West Rome to Atlas Development for a data center.
City Commissioner Bill Collins asked if it would be possible to have a meeting to inform citizens in the nearby Summerville Park neighborhood about the proposed data center. Collins said that he didn’t know about the transaction until it had already been completed.
“I do value collaboration,” Hogg responded. “You have my promise, moving forward, to any extent that I can share information, during those types of negotiations, I certainly will.”
The deal for the property in the Battery Business Center did not have to go before the full Rome City Commission since the development authority owns the property, and it is already zoned Heavy Industrial. In addition, there is a lot of confidentiality that is allowed during real estate negotiations, and those discussions are not covered by the state’s sunshine laws.
During the regular commission meeting, which followed the caucus, Collins expressed a desire to have a town hall meeting to discuss data centers.
Rome City Manager Sammy Rich proposed taking another trip to some communities that already have data centers to get a first-hand look at what they are like and to examine other issues, such as noise, lighting, and water consumption.
