Augusta County Economic Development & Tourism 2023 Annual Report

2023 R EP O RT

AUGUSTA COUNTY

OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

THE SHENANDOAH VALLE Y OF VIRGINIA

augustavabusiness.com | visitaugustacounty.com | augusta-startup.com

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AUGUSTA COUNTY STAUN TON

81

64

WAYN ESBORO

64

VIRGINIA

#2 Top State for Business in 2023 (CNBC)

VIRGINIA’S SHENANDOAH VALLEY

WASH I N GTO N DC

11 81

R I CH M O N D

VIRGINIA

#1 Customized Training and #1 Cyber Security Leader in the US in 2023

VIRGINIA

#1 Top State Education in 2023 (CNBC)

(Business Facilities)

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AUGUSTA COUNT Y OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

AUGUSTA COUNTY’S 2023 WITNESSED HIGH-PROFILE ACHIEVEMENTS: new airport hangars swung open at Shenandoah Valley Airport, ribbons were cut at Amazon’s new distribution center, and visitor spending soared to new heights, eclipsing pre-pandemic totals and accelerating. Plus, the secret’s out: we’re an outdoor recreation destination and are now home to the Grindstone Trail Running Festival – an internationally recognized mountain marathon race hosted at our Natural Chimneys.

Simultaneously, the Department of Economic Development and Tourism continues building the capacity, responsiveness, and strategic vision of our region’s economy.

Laying the groundwork that makes such investment and expansion possible, we partnered with private landowners to improve site development readiness. We led regional partnerships to expand local food and craft brewing industries in an effort to strengthen the agricultural backbone that is so important to our community.

In collaboration with government and industry partners, we launched a public Economic Development Strategic Planning effort in tandem with an update to the County’s overall Comprehensive Plan. This work will extend into 2025 and beyond.

The Economic Development Strategic Plan is designed to reflect our community’s vision in shaping policies, objectives, goals and future economic opportunities.

Success in business attraction, retention, and expansion grows from our strong partnerships with business leaders, workforce development programs, property owners, entrepreneurs, the agriculture community and regional stakeholders.

We look forward to another year of collaboratively growing our region’s vibrant economy.

SCAN FOR MORE PLAN TIMELINE DETAILS

2023 REPORT

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Augusta County Facts and Figures 2023 LICENSES + PERMITS BUSINESS LICENSES

5,006

INDUSTRIAL + COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION PERMITS

498

ACTIVE BUSINESS LICENSES4

77.4

$

MILLION

NEW BUSINESS LICENSES4

VALUE OF PERMITS4

151

PERMITS ISSUED4

WORKFORCE WITHIN 5 45 MINUTES

282,095

2.3%

1,552

INCREASE IN JOBS (Q1 2022 – Q2 2023) AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGE (Q3 2023)1

55,800

$

4

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE3

5

%

INCREASE

24%

INCREASE SINCE 20201

(DEC 2023)

59.4%

LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE1

79.5%

PRIME-AGE (25-54) LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE1

AUGUSTA COUNT Y OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

L ARGEST E M P L OY M E N T S EC T O R S 1 BUSINESSES

BY SIZE3

Manufacturing (22% OF WORKFORCE)

Health Care and Social Assistance 0-9 EMPLOYEES

78%

Transportation and Warehousing

10-49 EMPLOYEES

18%

50-249 EMPLOYEES

3%

Educational Services

250+ EMPLOYEES

1%

Construction

COST OF LIVING

T O TA L P O P U L AT I O N 2

77,913 2.8

%

5.4%

INCREASE SINCE 20103

LESS THAN U.S. AVERAGE1

8.0%

PROJECTED INCREASE BY 20402

Sources: 1. Chmura’s JobsEQ®

10.8

%

LESS THAN VIRGINIA AVERAGE1 2023 REPORT

2. Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service 3. Virginia Employment Commission 4. County of Augusta 5. EMSI

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Site Development

PROJECT SYNERGY See pg 10 for SHD Aviation Technology Park utility relocation project.

DUE DILIGENCE COMPLETED ON

199 ACRES

TIER 4 CERTIFIED SITE VIRGINIA BUSINESS READY SITES PROGRAM

Blue Mountain Site WEYERS CAVE, VA

COMPLETED: Master Plan, Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment, Wetland Delineation, Threatened & Endangered Species Review, Historic Resources Review, Geotechnical Engineering Report Due diligence completed through a Go Virginia grant via the Shenandoah Valley Partnership.

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AUGUSTA COUNT Y OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

TOTAL SITE ACREAGE

271

DUE DILIGENCE COMPLETED ON

138 ACRES

Martin Site STUARTS DR AFT, VA

COMPLETED: Master Plan, Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment, Wetland Delineation, Threatened & Endangered Species Review, Historic Resources Review, Geotechnical Engineering Report Due diligence completed through a Go Virginia grant via the Shenandoah Valley Partnership.

Afton Mountain Site AFTON, VA COMPLETED: Topographic Survey, Boundary Survey, Protected Species and Historical Screening Survey Due diligence completed through a Department of Housing and Community Development Industrial Revitalization Fund grant.

2023 REPORT

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Site Development and Openings

TIER 4 CERTIFIED SITE VIRGINIA BUSINESS READY SITES PROGRAM

Mill Place Commerce Park VERONA , VA Located ½ mile from Interstate 81 at Exit 227, Mill Place Commerce Park is owned by Augusta County. The 371-acre Park’s zoning accommodates a variety of business uses in a compatible and complementary format, and its Tier 4 Site Ready Certification ensures prospects construction can take place within 12-18 months. Approximately 180 acres remain available for development.

PRODUCTION FACILITY COMING SOON

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AUGUSTA COUNT Y OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

Amazon Opens New Fulfillment Center “Virginia is a great state to do business, and we are proud to continue to invest in the Shenandoah Valley and in the communities where our employees and their families live and work.”

— DEAN FULLERTON AMA ZON ’ S VICE PRESIDENT GLOBAL ENGINEERING SERVICES

OPENED

SPRING 2023

OVER

1 MILLION SQUARE FOOT FACILITY

500+

NEW JOBS SCAN TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS PROJECT

2023 REPORT

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Openings

Shenandoah Valley Airport Cuts Ribbon on New Hangars Growing opportunities for advanced aviation businesses like Dynamic Aviation, the new commercial hangars in the Aviation Technology Park will serve both new and expanding industries.

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AUGUSTA COUNT Y OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

PROJECT SYNERGY

SCAN TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS PROJECT

2023 REPORT

Swartz Photography

Water and sewer relocation during the creation of the SHD Aviation Technology Park brought utilities closer to neighboring Blue Mountain Site (SEE PG 6), helping to pave the way for future development.

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SHENANDOAH VALLE Y PARTNERSHIP

Marketing and Outreach Initiatives The Shenandoah Valley Partnership (SVP) works with public and private partners at the local, regional, and state level to develop an economic climate for business success throughout the Shenandoah Valley. Augusta County enjoys a strong partnership with SVP.

n

Completed 8 marketing missions

n

Created a GIS WebTech platform providing up-to-date site details

n

Launched Talent Attraction campaign recruiting professionals from outside the region

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Completed Go Virginia Site Enhancement Project - nine sites started at Tier 2 with seven increasing to Tier 4

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Hosted 11 podcasts and 4 cooking shows aimed at site selector awareness of the Valley

SCAN TO WATCH THE VIRTUAL COOKING SHOW AUGUSTA HEALTH EDITION

SCAN TO WATCH THE VIRTUAL COOKING SHOW JOB STARTER EDITION

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AUGUSTA COUNT Y OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

REDESIGNED LOGO

AVERAGE OPEN RATE

48%

Debuted C-Suite Testimonial Video “There couldn’t be a better place than Virginia, particularly here. It’s been very easy to get trucking - it’s been very easy with the skilled workforce here. Being able to find great freight companies to work with [and] being able to take our products throughout the Eastern Seaboard has been fantastic.”

— TIM KELLY

Senior Vice President, Shamrock Foods

“Augusta County specifically has been great to work with… We’ve gone through numerous expansions, and every expansion that we’ve had, the community, as well as the state has come alongside.”

SCAN HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO

AUGUSTA COUNT Y ECONOMIC DE VELOPMENT & TOURISM

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

— KE VIN CLE VEL AND Director of Plant Operations (retired), Hollister

“This group of people here really care about what they’re doing.

They want to learn, they want to be able to help the company grow, and they’re saying what do you need me to do - if I don’t know how to do it today, help me and I’ll figure it out. It’s hard to put a price on that, but it can make all the difference.”

— RICK GAG LIANO

President and CEO, AccuTec

2023 REPORT

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Marketing and Outreach Initiatives Shenandoah Valley Farm2Fork Affair MARCH 14, 2023 Farm2Fork Affair connects Shenandoah Valley farmers, producers and makers with commercial-scale buyers such as restaurants, hotels, universities, markets and more throughout Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. This event is planned in partnership with other Shenandoah Valley localities.

100+ BUYERS

40+

PRODUCERS

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AUGUSTA COUNT Y OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

2023 REPORT

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Marketing and Outreach Initiatives Tourism 2022 TOURISM IMPACT NUMBERS n

Direct Visitor Spending experienced a full rebound following the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching new heights across industries.

n

Food and Beverage, Lodging, and Recreation led the growth in visitor spending.

n

Visitor spending expanded 11% in 2022, surpassing 2019 levels by over 25%.

Source: Virginia Tourism Corporation

DIRECT VISITOR SPENDING

DIRECT VISITOR SPENDING BY INDUSTRY

(in millions of dollars)

(in millions of dollars) Lodging

$160 $140

Food & Beverage

Retail

Recreation

$45

$120

$40 $35

$100

$30

$80

$25

$60

$20 $15

$40

$10 $20 $0

$5 2016

16

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

$0

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

AUGUSTA COUNT Y OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

Go Big

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE

www.visitaugustacounty.com

Debuted New Tourism Website

SCAN TO VISIT THE WEBSITE

2023 REPORT

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Marketing and Outreach Initiatives AUGUSTA COUNTY TOURISM GRANT PROGRAM AWARDED

Completed videography and photography series

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$45,000 TO SIX PROJECTS

SCAN TO PREVIEW THE MOUNTAINS, WINERIES, AND OPEN ROADS OF AUGUSTA

Regional Tourism Initiatives SHENANDOAH B EERWERKS TR AIL n

Total Passports Redeemed through 2023: 8,400+

n

60,000+ brewery visits

n

37 states represented in 2023

n

Global visitors from Australia, Columbia, Canada, Germany, Chile, and Norway

VISIT 8 OF 17 BREWERIES TO DRINK IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY

SHENANDOAH VALLE Y TOURISM PARTNERSHIP

2023 REPORT

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MONTREAL

TORONTO MILWAUKEE

BOSTON

DETROIT

NEW YORK PITTSBURGH

CHICAGO

WASHINGTON, D.C.

CINCINNATI

AUGUSTA COUNTY, VIRGINIA

ST. LOUIS

PHILADELPHIA

AUGUSTA COUNTY

NASHVILLE

RICHMOND

CHARLOTTE

MEMPHIS ATLANTA

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

500 miles 800 kilometers NEW ORLEANS

JACKSONVILLE 750 miles 1200 kilometers

HIGHER EDUCATION

TRAVEL & TRANSPORTATION

TARGET SECTORS

28,000 annual graduates from 12 regional colleges and universities

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

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

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

Leah Thomas, Chair Monica Rutledge, Vice-Chair Stephen Campbell Richard Halterman Lyle Moffett B. Randolph Roller Brett Snyder

Michael Shull, Chair G.L. “Butch” Wells, Vice-Chair Carolyn Bragg Pam Carter Gerald Garber Scott Seaton Jeffrey Slaven

18 Government Center Lane P.O. Box 590 Verona, VA 24482 540-245-5619

STAFF Rebekah Castle, Director of Economic Development & Marketing Gary Corder, Project Manager Tim Fitzgerald, County Administrator Jennifer Whetzel, Deputy County Administrator

staff@augustaVAbusiness.com augustaVAbusiness.com visitaugustacounty.com augusta-startup.com