Growth potential for Columbus? (Atlanta: hotels, school, living)

[masterbucket]

Originally Posted by JLA

masterbucket, did you not read that over 10,000 people in the Atlanta area applied for jobs at one Wal-Mart. The articles I posted are based on the information given by the economist who study data trends and make predictions based on the data. Whether you like Columbus or not, it is doing well. Goody's is closing the distribution center and consolidating, I can't blame them for that if it is going to save money, that's just good business sense. Although retail will continue to grow, BRAC is moving a large number of civil servant jobs here also and along with those high tech tanks will come some high tech jobs. A large number of jobs will be generated to support the tanks. This will not happen over night and there will always be young adults who will move away to explore other larger cities, I did it, but I returned slightly older but much wiser with skills in hand and landed a well paying job in Columbus. I have said once I will say it again you decrease your chances of getting a job if you do not the proper skill set. I am one who believes that if you have marketable skills you can find a job just about anywhere, even in Columbus, Macon, Savannah or Augusta. With the said the economic future is bright for Columbus and this area for many years to come. With the textile industry behind us we, this area of the state has moved forward and continue to move forward. Besides, Columbus had transformed itself from a textile town many years ago, it was no easy task but we did it.

I can appreciate your optimism but most Columbus citizens have heard those same words for years from city and business leaders over many years about growth etc.
The mill years unfortunately are not even close to being behind us(the one near beaver run has not been gone that long).
I commend you for your good fortune in your job quest as I have been in the same business for over 30 years amd done well but fellow citizens(many with better degrees and experience than either one of us) are either underpaid,overworked(multitasking is the politically correct word these days lol) or both.
Growth means more than a town full of low paying service jobs all over,it means prosperity for ALL residents which then leads to REAL growth and not businesses opening and closing one behind the other.
Their is more vacant retail properties in this town than ANY previous time in Columbus history and that is listed statistic not hearsay.
Your talk of tank jobs lends me to believe you are not very up on the military govts way of operating. My family has several generations of military service and we network with active duty often and they tell me that those jobs are over the heads of any local civilian workers and would be filled by out of town recruiters not vo tech training.
Good luck to you and let us wish Columbus the same in doing the right thing.
Columbus honestly has never had anything to sell to big companies except cheap manual labor as most towns this size have had all the trade centers,rivercenters,civic centers etc long long ago.
As I said before too little too late.
My best example is the city letting macon road/midtown go to the dogs and now announce they want to revive the area by 2020. Any intelligent person knows that will never happen when they cannot even agree on what to do with library property.(look at the tax dollars spent on lawsuits etc)
Sad but true.
Have a good week.

ps....a website describing another long ignored issue by Columbus dignitaries.....
Columbus, Georgia Drug War is a Farce

[JLA]

masterbucket, thanks for your opinion, please supply me the reference for the following quote.
"Their is more vacant retail properties in this town than ANY previous time in Columbus history and that is listed statistic not hearsay." There are some of us who are living here who actually have degrees that are useful, such as engineering, law, finance and various medical degrees. As long as Auburn and GA Tech is close by and our local high schools continue to churn out some the best and brightest students GA have to offer I will continue to have hope. By the way, what Columbus is lacking are low skilled industrial jobs, you know the ones that are leaving the US by the hundreds each day. It does not matter to me if the Civic Center, Trade Center or Museums were built yesterday, the fact is we have them and they have been here since my return. Those spin off tank jobs will not be low skilled jobs and some engineers and scientist are going to be needed to fill the jobs, but don't worry we have some the best universities close by (Auburn and GA Tech) one right in our back yard. I have to admit I am a optimist and a realist. And if things get really bad I will just pack up and leave, you know start over I'm still young in body and mind. I am not one to sit around complaining about things I have no control over. By the way, do you think all people will work if the jobs were available? If everyone in the US were affluent, what type of economy will we have? One other thing, although I am a degreed engineer, I do not dismiss the person with a "Vo Tech" degree as unskilled. Some of the brightest and most intelligent people I have ever met have "Vo Tech" degrees. And on a practical level some of them will put an engineer or scientist to shame. As an ex military person, please take some the stuff the military person say with a grain of salt. The big brass of the military have had enough studies done to conclude that Columbus/Fort Benning is the right place for the BRAC move. Good Night.

[ATLCOL1]

Originally Posted by masterbucket

Developers want to be in Columbus because there is nowhere else in Georgia to develop....that was statement made by several city leaders.
As far as staggering amounts of future plans no city leader is aware of this at the last meeting I attended nor at Chamber of Commerce meeting.
It is hard for me to believe that anyone would be JEALOUS of a town getting loaded with stores/restaurants etc.
Local Dept of Labor officials say that Columbus is not growing but going as even the young college trained are moving on and that Benning growth may benefit retail it will do nothing for a better paid workforce.
4-5 Walmarts in a town this size is evidence that there is no surge of Developers interested in Columbus.
If the job market is so good as you suggest why have there been over 4500 applications in 10 days at local Walmart recruiter on Moon Rd.
Also you probably did not notice in the same Ledger that spoke of POSSIBLE growth that Goody on Cargo Dr announced they were closing and moving to Atlanta.
I have lived in Columbus for over 40 years and a supporter but unfortunately Columbus has always waited too long to act for whatever reason.

There were 10,000 applicants here in Atlanta for a new Wal-Mart where the old Avondale Mall use to be.....what's your point?

[masterbucket]

Originally Posted by ATLCOL1

There were 10,000 applicants here in Atlanta for a new Wal-Mart where the old Avondale Mall use to be.....what's your point?

You continue to compare atlanta to columbus which really makes no sense to anyone.
10k applicants in a city of how many vs 4.5K in 10 days in Columbus?
Actually by Feb 1 which is the hiring deadline at Moon rd facility the hiring manager expects to have many more applicants than the atlanta figure.
Come on....get with the program of reality instead of denial as their is NO point or comparison to be made.
Does it embarrass you to live in a town that may not be number #1?

Have a great day.

[ATLCOL1]

Originally Posted by masterbucket

You continue to compare atlanta to columbus which really makes no sense to anyone.
10k applicants in a city of how many vs 4.5K in 10 days in Columbus?
Actually by Feb 1 which is the hiring deadline at Moon rd facility the hiring manager expects to have many more applicants than the atlanta figure.
Come on....get with the program of reality instead of denial as their is NO point or comparison to be made.
Does it embarrass you to live in a town that may not be number #1?

Have a great day.

If you don't have anything nice to say about Columbus then don't say anything at all.

[waynelong]

Columbus is definitely on the upswing! AFLAC is adding 2000 employees(already hired 500 +), TSYS is strong, Base is expanding - 10,000 permanent jobs, 2500 - 3000 jobs for Kia Plant in Lagrange (started taking apps this week), spin offs from the Kia plant. It looks like the next 5 years should be good!

[USA_Mom]

Originally Posted by ATLCOL1

If you don't have anything nice to say about Columbus then don't say anything at all.

See I totally disagree with this. People who are looking to move to the area will want to know the good and the bad. I *do* think this poster is extremely offbase with his remarks about AFLAC because of the situation I am aware of personally, but whatever the facts bear it out anyway.

[masterbucket]

Originally Posted by USA_Mom

See I totally disagree with this. People who are looking to move to the area will want to know the good and the bad. I *do* think this poster is extremely offbase with his remarks about AFLAC because of the situation I am aware of personally, but whatever the facts bear it out anyway.

Thanks USA Mom.....
And you notice every poster answers with the same spin....Kia,tsys etc.
I had lunch with several TSYS workers yesterday who said that a sizable amount of employees who had been with them over8-10 years were let go over the past 2-3 months with no warning. They say that the only jobs Aflac/TSYS/Synovus etc are hiring are phone collectors/customer service reps and temp help.
Also the recent split of Synovus and TSYS is no coincidence either as stock in both has fallen and with financial markets in turmoil I think they do not want have all their eggs in one basket which makes sense.
I guess maybe these people know what is really going on but are maybe in a bit of denial.......as you say the facts bear it out anyway and I would love to sit down with these same posters for a lunch later in the year after some time has been allowed to pass and have a fruitful discussion without being one sided and arguing for arguing sake.

I would even pay for the lunch!! lol

Everyone have a great day

[ATLCOL1]

How can you deny that the Selig Center at UGA has said that Columbus will produce 4,000 news jobs each year for the next 5 years!!!!!!! Columbus is growing faster than any other 2nd tier Georgia city and is growing faster than Atlanta (per capita). Masterbucket, you know nothing about business and economic growth.

[masterbucket]

Originally Posted by ATLCOL1

How can you deny that the Selig Center at UGA has said that Columbus will produce 4,000 news jobs each year for the next 5 years!!!!!!! Columbus is growing faster than any other 2nd tier Georgia city and is growing faster than Atlanta (per capita). Masterbucket, you know nothing about business and economic growth.

Atlcol1,
I am assuming you are a fairly well educated individual and as such you must know that the selig center at uga have stated themselves that they have fell short on more than one occasion in their future economic predictions for georgian cities due to unknown factors as fast changes in economy,future company operations(hiring,closures etc) and that these are PREDICTIONS OF CURRENT CONDITIONS not the future.
Columbus has not provided 4000 new above average paying jobs in a LONG time and I notice the Selig center did not mention how many jobs would be lost.....again as it would only be a prediction.
Columbus growing faster than Atlanta...?? Honestly if you told that to any atlanta citizen they would laugh at you..if they even knew where columbus was.


Everyone have a great day....