augusta county economic development and tourism cy2015/fy2016 report
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C Y 2 0 1 5 / F Y 2 0 1 6 R E P O R T
AUGUSTA COUNTY OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM
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42
42
42
629
252
254
252
Mt SolonMt Solon
WestAugusta
WestAugusta
George WashingtonNational Forest
George WashingtonNational Forest
George WashingtonNational Forest
George WashingtonNational Forest
ShenandoahNational
Park
ShenandoahNational
Park
ChurchvilleChurchville
Buffalo GapBuffalo GapDeerfieldDeerfield
CraigsvilleCraigsville
MiddlebrookMiddlebrook StuartsDraft
StuartsDraft
FishersvilleFishersville
VeronaVerona
Mt SidneyMt Sidney WeyersCave
WeyersCave
GrottoesGrottoes
64
250
250
25011
11
340
340
SherandoSherando
Staunton
WaynesboroWaynesboro
81
81
11
262
254
GreenvilleGreenville
The Department 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. We strive to collaborate with community, regional, state, and federal partners to maximize economic opportunities. We focus on three main areas: business 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.
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Unemployment Rate
3.1 %
April 2016, Virginia Employment Commission
L O W E S T U N E M P L O Y M E N T S I N C E 2 0 0 7
FIGURES AND RANKINGS
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42
42
42
629
252
254
252
Mt SolonMt Solon
WestAugusta
WestAugusta
George WashingtonNational Forest
George WashingtonNational Forest
George WashingtonNational Forest
George WashingtonNational Forest
ShenandoahNational
Park
ShenandoahNational
Park
ChurchvilleChurchville
Buffalo GapBuffalo GapDeerfieldDeerfield
CraigsvilleCraigsville
MiddlebrookMiddlebrook StuartsDraft
StuartsDraft
FishersvilleFishersville
VeronaVerona
Mt SidneyMt Sidney WeyersCave
WeyersCave
GrottoesGrottoes
64
250
250
25011
11
340
340
SherandoSherando
Staunton
WaynesboroWaynesboro
81
81
11
262
254
GreenvilleGreenville
Business Licenses Issued 567VALUE: $61,667,740
Building Permits Issued8124
December 2015
Photo by Greg Cromer
Fishersville Ranked Best Place to Buy First-Time Home in Virginia
(Stuarts Draft Ranked #6)
- Nerdwallet.com (2015)
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Augusta County ranked one of the smartest localities in VA for mortgages - SmartAsset (2016)
#1
#4
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.
INVE
STM
ENT
AND
JOBS
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$33.12 million
capital investment
528 jobs
created /retained
5projects
announced
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January 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016
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BlooMaker triples greenhouse
$2 million
investment
98 new jobs
Provides opens first US facility
$6.1 million
investment
45 new jobs
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$22
250 new jobs
millioninvestment
Nexus Services opens corporate headquarters
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AccuTEC Blades expands
53 new jobs
$5.4 million
investment150
Augusta County jobs
Preserved
Former American Safety Razor/Energizer
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20 new jobs
$650,000 investment
Stable Craft Brewing opens Augusta’s first farm brewery
Joint collaboration between Staunton, Augusta, Waynesboro, Harrisonburg & Lexington and Rockbridge Area Tourism offices
beerwerkstrail.com
Drink in the Shenandoah Valley
Launched the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail
TOURISM
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Natural Chimneys Park & Campground Rack Card
Joint Departmental Project: Economic Development & Tourism and Parks & Recreation
Recipient of $10,000 Virginia Tourism Corporation Grant
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Mill Place Commerce Park
750,000 gallon water tank installed in Mill Place Commerce Park
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INFRASTRUCTURE
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.
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Completion of Route 636 / LifeCore Drive
LifeCore Marketing Booklet Published
LifeCore Stakeholders Group Assembled
Opening of Goose Creek Apartments along LifeCore Drive
International Production and Processing Expo with Virginia Ag Development Officers
Completed site location consultant marketing missions to New York and Chicago
MAR
KETI
NG
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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.
Marketing Missions, Web, and Print
“Keep doing what you’re doing – you’re doing it right.” – Katie Burdorf, Wadley Donovan Gutshaw Consulting
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Marketing Missions, Web, and Print
Produced new stand-alone Economic Development websiteFirst-ever Economic Development website for Augusta County
Maintained Economic Development & Tourism Facebook page
Economic Development Services Rack Card
augustaVAbusiness.comPublished monthly electronic newsletter – The Current View
Average open rate on monthly newsletter
44%Annual designation only
10% of Constant Contact customers receive for excellence
BUSI
NESS
SUP
PORT
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Produced An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Starting a Business in Augusta County
Launched complementary website in conjunction with Staunton and Waynesboro Offices of Economic Development
augusta-startup.com
“Over 50% of the current working population in the United States works in a small business.”
Launched Augusta County Small Business Loan Fund Program
Hosted Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Workshop for Smaller Manufacturing Companies in Growth Mode
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“Over 50% of the current working population in the United States works in a small business.” – Forbes
Shenandoah Valley Partnership and WHSV TV-3 CollaborationMarketing high-demand, high-wage jobs available in the Shenandoah Valley, such as health care workers, diesel mechanics, robotics technicians, and others.
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.
WOR
KFOR
CE D
EVEL
OPM
ENT
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valleycareerhub.com
STAFF
Tim Fitzgerald, County AdministratorJennifer Whetzel, Deputy County AdministratorAmanda Glover, Director of Economic DevelopmentRebekah Castle, Economic Development Marketing Assistant
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
H. Joseph Williams, IV, ChairB. Randolph Roller, Vice-ChairAlphonso P. Boxley, IIIMichael GodfreyRichard K. Halterman, IIRobert J. KirchmanLeah R. Thomas
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Carolyn S. Bragg, ChairTracy C. Pyles, Jr., Vice-ChairWendell L. ColemanGerald W. GarberTerry Lee Kelley, Jr.Marshall W. PattieMichael L. Shull
Economic Development in Augusta County is made possible through the collaborative efforts of:
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WASHINGTON, D.C.
RICHMOND
BOSTON
PHILADELPHIA
NEW YORK
CHICAGO
CHARLOTTE
ATLANTAMEMPHIS
ST. LOUIS
CINCINNATI
MILWAUKEE DETROIT
TORONTO
MONTREAL
PITTSBURGH
NEW ORLEANSJACKSONVILLE
500 miles800 kilometers
750miles1200 kilometers
NASHVILLE
AUGUSTA COUNTY
18 Government Center Lane P.O. Box 590 Verona, VA 24482540-245-5619staff@augustaVAbusiness.comwww.augustaVAbusiness.com
EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES22,000 annual graduates
from 12 colleges and universities
TRAVEL & TRANSPORTATIONI-81 and I-64
CSX and Norfolk Southern RailroadsAmtrak
Shenandoah Regional AirportEagle’s Nest Airport
TARGET SECTORSAdvanced Manufacturing
Food ProcessingLife Sciences
Value-added Agriculture and Forestry
AUGUSTA COUNTYVIRGINIA
Mid-Atlantic location in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley where I-81 and I-64 converge