Augusta County Economic Development & Tourism Annual Report CY2017/FY2018

AUGUSTA COUNTY OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM CY2017/FY2018 REPORT

Pictured: I-81 parallels Mill Place Commerce Park.

Located at the interchange of I-81 and I-64, Augusta County offers superior access to global markets.

IR

GINI

A V TOP STATE For Workforce Development in Atlantic Region (Site Selection Magazine)

The Office of Economic Development and Tourism exists to provide a diverse and vibrant economy that offers a broad range of job opportunities to the citizens of Augusta County and the Shenandoah Valley. We strive to collaborate with community, regional, state, and federal partners to maximize economic opportunities.

We focus on three main areas: business Deerfield attraction, existing business retention, and business start-up support, in addition to marketing the community we are proud to call home, enhancing labor resources, and strengthening infrastructure/site readiness.

All of this is done while promoting a quality of life that embraces our heritage, preserves the environment, and effectively manages resources.

2

George Washington National Forest Mt Solon West Augusta

250

Mt Sidney

W C

11

Churchville

629

42

42 Buffalo Gap

254

81

Verona

250

262

Staunton

42

254

Fishersville

252

Craigsville Middlebrook

252

11 81

340

64

Stuarts Draft

250

Way

Greenville

11

Sherando George Washington National Forest

AUGUSTA COUNT Y OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

535

907

BUSINESS LICENSES ISSUED

BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED VALUE:

103,899,075

$

AS OF DECEMBER 2017

Weyers Cave Grottoes

4

Shenandoah National Park

340

ynesboro

LABOR FORCE:

37,188

AS OF MARCH 2018

EMPLOYED:

36,080

UNEMPLOYED:

1,108

CY2017/FY2018 REPORT

3

INVESTMENT AND JOBS JANUARY 1, 2017 – MAY 30, 2018

79.8

$

million

CAPITAL INVESTMENT

JOBS CREATED & RETAINED

6

PROJECTS ANNOUNCED

INVESTMENT

JOBS CREATED/ RETAINED

$8,000,000

48

Hershey Chocolate of VA

$26,800,000

69

Shamrock Farms

$43,900,000

78

Draftco, Inc.

$450,000

16

Stable Craft Brewing

$500,000

13

Hutchins & Hutchins

$224,000

15

COMPANY

Sumitomo/ InterChange

4

239

AUGUSTA COUNT Y OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

DR AF TCO, INC .

A N N O U N C E S E X PA NSI O N AUGUST 2017

450,000

$

INVESTMENT

CY2017/FY2018 REPORT

16

NEW JOBS

FOUNDED IN 1965 IN STUARTS DRAFT

5

S TA B L E C R A F T B R E W I N G T R I P L E S P R O D U C T I O N AUGUST 2017

500,000

$

INVESTMENT

13

NEW JOBS

6

AUGUSTA COUNT Y OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

HUTCHINS & HUTCHINS E X PA N DS D IS T R I B U TI O N FACI LIT Y NOVEMBER 2017

15

224,000

NEW JOBS

$

Received ISO Certification

INVESTMENT

(International Standard for Quality Management Systems)

HUTCHINS & HUTCHINS Your Cleanroom Supplier

CY2017/FY2018 REPORT

7

MARKETING MISSIONS & OUTREACH

2017 SHENANDOAH VALLEY PARTNERSHIP MARKETING CAMPAIGNS

18 CAMPAIGNS COMPLETED

• 11 MARKETS

IN U.S. & CANADA •

22K MILES

OF OUT-OF-REGION TRAVEL

ATTENDED FANCY FOOD SHOW IN NYC

2017

PROSPECT ACTIVITY EXHIBITED A 70% INCREASE OVER 2016

“Augusta County enjoys a strong partnership with the Shenandoah Valley Partnership, the region’s economic development marketing organization.”

— Gerald Garber, Chair of Augusta County Board of Supervisors 8

AUGUSTA COUNT Y OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEBSITE WINS GOLD EXCELLENCE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AWARD FROM INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

augustaVAbusiness.com

NUMBER OF NEWSLETTERS

18

PUBLISHED MONTHLY ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER

AVERAGE OPEN RATE

42%

– THE CURRENT VIEW

CY2017/FY2018 REPORT

9

M I L L P L AC E CO M M E R C E PA R K

Located ½ mile from interstate 81 at exit 227, Mill Place Commerce Park is owned by Augusta County and located in Verona, Virginia. The 371-acre Park enjoys interstate visibility with backgrounds of forested tracts and ponds. Approximately 190 acres remain available for development.

BEGAN CONSTRUCTION OF THE TRAILS AT MILL PLACE

COMPLETION OF CENTERVIEW DRIVE

Pictured: Centerview Drive under construction

10

Pictured: Walking trail after paving AUGUSTA COUNT Y OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

COMPLETION OF SUMITOMO/ INTERCHANGE BUILDING

TIER 4 CERTIFIED SITE VIRGINIA BUSINESS READY SITES PROGRAM

CY2017/FY2018 REPORT

11

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Pictured: LOVE for CTE (Career and Technical Education) letters as displayed at Valley Career and Technical Center. Students crafted the letters using skills learned at Valley Tech.

AWARDED

10-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR STAUNTON, AUGUSTA COUNTY AND WAYNESBORO

RENDERING COURTESY OF SFCS

BLUE RIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BREAKS GROUND ON STATE-OF-THE-ART BIOSCIENCES BUILDING

PHOTO BY BLUE RIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

$40,000

BUILDING COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITIES GRANT FROM DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Pictured: Rendering of future Biosciences Building

12

AUGUSTA COUNT Y OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

SHENANDOAH BEERWERKS TR AIL

An initiative of Greater Augusta Regional Tourism along with Harrisonburg Tourism and Lexington and the Rockbridge Area Tourism

Launched am passport progr in December 2017

(As of May 2018) n

Over 900 passports redeemed

n

Visitors from over 36 states

n Over

5,000 brewery visits

First passport redeemed in 24 hours

n

Sent 11 newsletters to over 4,000 contacts

n

Received $20,000+ grant from Virginia Tourism Corporation

n

CY2017/FY2018 REPORT

13

Home to

The Grand Caverns –

the oldest continually-operating show cave in the U.S.

NAMED A TOP SUMMER WEEKEND GETAWAY FOR TRAVELERS ON A BUDGET - cheapism.com

Pictured: Sherando Lake

LAUNCHED COMPLETE REDESIGN OF TOURISM WEBSITE visitaugustacounty.com

TOURISM HIGHLIGHTS n $10,000 awarded in Augusta County Tourism marketing grant program n $10,000 awarded in Greater Augusta Regional Tourism grant program n Shenandoah Valley Tourism Partnership (11 Destination Marketing Organizations) launched Regional Tourism Marketing Website and Marketing Campaign at www.virginiasshenandoahvalley.com 14

AUGUSTA COUNT Y OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

2016 AUGUSTA COUNTY TOURISM

IMPACT NUMBERS

EXPENDITURES: PAYROLL:

Pictured: Farm fresh stop on the Fields of Gold agritourism trail at Pebble Hall Wildflowers

122,929,787

$

22,244,947

$

1,104

EMPLOYMENT:

5,466,823

STATE TAX RECEIPTS:

$

LOCAL TAX RECEIPTS:

$

4,248,888

SOURCE: VIRGINIA TOURISM CORPORATION

Pictured: Red Wing Roots attendees enjoy morning yoga combining great music and the great outdoors

Pictured: Morning drive on Hebron Road - one of a multitude of scenic drives for motorcycle rides

CY2017/FY2018 REPORT

Pictured: Life Outside Cover Article, Staunton/Augusta County > HQ for Outdoor Fun & Adventure

15

AUGUSTA COUNTY VIRGINIA Mid-Atlantic location in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley where I-81 and I-64 converge MONTREAL

EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES

TORONTO

24,000 annual graduates from 14 colleges and universities

MILWAUKEE

TRAVEL & TRANSPORTATION I-81 and I-64 CSX Railroad Norfolk Southern Railroad Shenandoah Valley Railroad Buckingham Branch Railroad Amtrak Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport Eagle’s Nest Airport

BOSTON

DETROIT

NEW YORK PITTSBURGH

CHICAGO

WASHINGTON, D.C.

CINCINNATI ST. LOUIS

AUGUSTA COUNTY

NASHVILLE

RICHMOND

CHARLOTTE

MEMPHIS ATLANTA

TARGET SECTORS Advanced Manufacturing Food Processing Life Sciences Value-added Agriculture and Forestry

PHILADELPHIA

500 miles 800 kilometers NEW ORLEANS

JACKSONVILLE 750miles 1200 kilometers

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Gerald W. Garber, Chair Carolyn S. Bragg, Vice-Chair Pam L. Carter Wendell L. Coleman Terry Lee Kelley, Jr. Marshall W. Pattie Michael L. Shull

H. Joseph Williams, IV, Chair B. Randolph Roller, Vice-Chair Alphonso P. Boxley, III Michael Godfrey Richard K. Halterman, II Robert J. Kirchman Leah R. Thomas

STAFF Tim Fitzgerald, County Administrator Jennifer Whetzel, Deputy County Administrator Amanda Glover, Director of Economic Development & Tourism Rebekah Castle, Economic Development & Tourism Marketing Coordinator

18 Government Center Lane P.O. Box 590 Verona, VA 24482 540-245-5619 staff@augustaVAbusiness.com www.augustaVAbusiness.com www.visitaugustacounty.com