Gwinnett County, Georgia Looks to Add Jobs

(I thought I would start putting the scripts up for the stories I write at WABE in Atlanta.)

GWINNETT JOBS / Eric Durban
7-27-09
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With the economy in a downturn, Gwinnett County is making a push to bring over 36,000 jobs and 1 point 6 billion dollars annually to the area.

Gwinnett will use tax allocation districts to lure businesses into the county. The districts are redevelopment areas that use public money to fund improvements.

Chuck Warbington is the executive director for the village’s improvement district. He says the recent move of NCR to the county could bring energy for the initiative.

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“…got to have them both.”

“We’re targeting the whole gamut, not just corporate jobs, not just service jobs. They go hand in hand; you’ve got to have them both.”

Officials spent 18 months researching strategically placed areas to develop along the I-85 and US-78 corridors. Warbington says their study takes a lot of risk away from the developer.

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“…redevelopment to happen.”

“We are zoning in on where we want these types of jobs and these types of redevelopment to happen.”

He anticipates the 15-year plan will begin to find investors within the next two years.