Augusta County Economic Development and Tourism CY2015/FY2016 Report

AUGUSTA COUNTY OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

CY2015/FY2016 REPORT

3

George Washington National Forest Mt Solon West Augusta The Department of Economic Development and economy that offers a broad range of job opportunities to the citizens of Augusta

Deerfield

Mt Sidney

42 254

community, regional, state, and federal partners to maximize focus on three main areas: business attraction, existing business retention, and business start-up support, in addition to marketing the community we are proud

of this is done while promoting a quality of life that

Staunton

254

Fishersville

252

Craigsville Middlebrook

252

11 81

to call home, enhancing labor resources, and strengthening infrastructure/site readiness. All

262

42

economic opportunities. We

81

Verona

250

Buffalo Gap

County. We strive to collaborate with

Weyers Cave G

11

Churchville

629

Tourism exists to provide a diverse and vibrant

250

42

340

64

Stuarts Draft

250

Waynesb

Greenville

embraces our heritage, preserves the environment, and effectively manages resources.

2

11

Sherando George Washington National Forest

Grottoes Shenandoah National Park

340

boro

F I GURE S AN D RANKI NGS

3.1%

s

Unemployment Rate

LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT SINCE 2007

April 2016, Virginia Employment Commission 33

567 812

Business Licenses Issued

Building Permits Issued VALUE: $61,667,740

December 2015 Photo by Greg Cromer

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#1

Fishersville Ranked Best Place to Buy First-Time Home in Virginia (Stuarts Draft Ranked #6) - Nerdwallet.com (2015)

#4

Augusta County ranked one of the smartest localities in VA for mortgages - SmartAsset (2016)

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I NVE STM E N T AN D JOBS 6

Augusta County is committed to attracting, growing, and retaining business and industry.

Our companies benefit from innovation, flexibility, and the focus of professionals who want business to thrive.

33.12

$

million capital investment

528

jobs created /retained

5

projects announced

January 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016 7

2

$

million investment

8

98

new jobs

BlooMaker triples greenhouse

6.1

$

million investment

45

new jobs

Provides opens first US facility 9

22

$

million investment

250

new jobs

Nexus Services opens corporate headquarters

10

5.4

$

million investment

53

new jobs

Preserved

150

Augusta County jobs Former American Safety Razor/Energizer

AccuTEC Blades expands

11

Stable Craft Brewing opens Augusta’s first farm brewery 12

650,000

$

investment

20

new jobs

Joint collaboration between Staunton, Augusta, Waynesboro, Harrisonburg & Lexington and Rockbridge Area Tourism offices

Drink in

TOURI SM

Launched the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail

the Shenandoah Valley beerwerkstrail.com

13

Natural Chimneys Park & Campground Rack Card Joint Departmental Project: Economic Development & Tourism and Parks & Recreation Recipient of

14

10,000 Virginia Tourism Corporation Grant

$

Located ½ mile from interstate 81 at exit 227, Mill Place Commerce Park is owned by Augusta County and located in Verona, Virginia.

Mill Place is a 400-acre planned commerce park with zoning designed to accommodate a variety of business uses ranging from hospitality to general industrial in a compatible and complementary format. The Park enjoys interstate visibility with backgrounds of forested tracts and ponds. Approximately 200 acres remain available for development.

I N F RASTRUCTURE

Mill Place Commerce Park

750,000 gallon water tank installed in Mill Place Commerce Park 15

16

Completion of

Route 636 / LifeCore Drive LifeCore Marketing Booklet Published LifeCore Stakeholders Group Assembled Opening of Goose Creek Apartments along LifeCore Drive

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M ARKE TI N G

Marketing our region’s key assets and location advantages is a key priority for Augusta County. As the second largest county in Virginia, Augusta offers one of the largest site inventories in the state. We offer 2,000 acres of shovel-ready industrial sites, pad-ready commercial locations, greenfield sites, and several existing buildings.

Completed site location consultant marketing missions to New York and Chicago

Marke ting

International Production and Processing Expo with Virginia Ag Development Officers

“Keep doing what you’re doing – you’re doing it right.”

– Katie Burdorf, Wadley Donovan Gutshaw Consulting 18

t n i r P d n a , b e W Missions, Maintained Economic Development & Tourism Facebook page

Produced new stand-alone Economic Development website First-ever Economic Development website for Augusta County

augustaVAbusiness.com Published monthly electronic newsletter – The Current View

44%

Annual designation only

10%

of Constant Contact customers receive for excellence

Average open rate on monthly newsletter

Economic Development Services Rack Card

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BUSI NE SS SUPPORT

“Over 50% of the current working population in the United

Produced An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Starting a Business in Augusta County 20

Launched complementary website in conjunction with Staunton and Waynesboro Offices of Economic Development

augusta-startup.com

States works in a small business.� – Forbes

Launched Augusta County Small Business Loan Fund Program

Hosted Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Workshop for Smaller Manufacturing Companies in Growth Mode 21

WORKF ORCE DE VE L OPM E N T

Shenandoah Valley Partnership and WHSV TV-3 Collaboration Marketing high-demand, high-wage jobs available in the Shenandoah Valley, such as health care workers, diesel mechanics, robotics technicians, and others.

valleycareerhub.com 22

Organized by Blue Ridge Community College, Career Connect enabled nearly 400 high school students to tour area industries and learn more about high-growth jobs.

Economic Development in Augusta County is made possible through the collaborative efforts of: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Carolyn S. Bragg, Chair Tracy C. Pyles, Jr., Vice-Chair Wendell L. Coleman Gerald W. Garber 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 Rebekah Castle, Economic Development Marketing Assistant

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MONTREAL TORONTO MILWAUKEE

BOSTON

DETROIT

NEW YORK PITTSBURGH

CHICAGO

AUGUSTA COUNTY

NASHVILLE

RICHMOND

CHARLOTTE

MEMPHIS ATLANTA 500 miles 800 kilometers NEW ORLEANS

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

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

WASHINGTON, D.C.

CINCINNATI ST. LOUIS

PHILADELPHIA

AUGUSTA COUNTY VIRGINIA

JACKSONVILLE 750miles 1200 kilometers

EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES 22,000 annual graduates from 12 colleges and universities TRAVEL & TRANSPORTATION I-81 and I-64 CSX and Norfolk Southern Railroads Amtrak Shenandoah Regional Airport Eagle’s Nest Airport TARGET SECTORS Advanced Manufacturing Food Processing Life Sciences Value-added Agriculture and Forestry