BRAC and Kia Set to Make Columbus an Economic Oasis (Macon: sales, real estate)

[Columbus1984]

BRAC expansion at Benning on track

Officials say growth is inevitable; study tackles challenges facing 10 Columbus area counties

Fort Benning’s expansion through the Base Realignment and Closure Commission is on track and not being downsized in any way, Columbus and U.S. Army officials say.

That point underscored a meeting Thursday at the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, during which a regional growth management plan was unveiled showing the expected impact of BRAC on area communities over the next 20 years.

“There’s probably not a week goes by that we don’t have some question about: Well, I’ve heard they slipped the timeline. I’ve heard that maybe they’re not going to move all of these people,” said Mike Gaymon, chamber president and chief executive officer.

The only person in a camouflage uniform Thursday, Col. Chuck Durr, Fort Benning’s chief of staff, said neither of those assumptions are correct.

The military installation, he said, is knee deep in construction to build barracks, training facilities and a new headquarters for what will be called the Maneuver Center of Excellence. Total construction on post is pegged at $3.5 billion, although Durr said the number is looking closer to $4 billion.

The BRAC project that will relocate the U.S. Army Armor School to Fort Benning, where it will be combined with the Army’s Infantry School, is moving steadily toward its federally mandated Sept. 15, 2011, completion date, Durr said.

“There is nothing on the horizon that gives me any indication whatsoever that we are not going to move Fort Knox here on time,” the colonel said. “If it changes I have an obligation to tell you because I have to live among you ... If it were not true, I would tell you. We are moving here on time.”

The road to this point has been a long one, however. It was in June 2005 that the U.S. Department of Defense announced that Fort Benning would be gaining the Armor School.

A federal grant to the Valley Partnership funded a study aimed at giving 10 counties straddling Georgia and Alabama a feel for what they might expect with the influx of soldiers, contractors and civilians.

The counties — within a 35-mile radius of Fort Benning — are Muscogee, Chattahoochee, Harris, Marion, Stewart, Talbot and Taylor in Georgia; and Russell, Lee and Barbour in Alabama.

More than 28,000 people are expected to be clustered on and around Fort Benning by the time the Maneuver Center is up and running. That includes 4,700 soldiers, 4,800 civilian contractors, nearly 1,900 government civilians, and their combined 16,785 family members.

The timeline calls for Fort Benning’s population to begin increasing a bit this summer, with the Armor School beginning some movement here in October. Large movements of people and equipment start next March, continuing through summer 2011.

The regional growth management plan gives communities in the area forecasts and strategies on dealing with the impact of moving a small city here. Education, health care, transportation and road systems are all covered.

There was some angst Thursday, with Mike Cole, public information officer with Russell County, saying some of the information in the study was incorrect or out of date, such as transportation or water facilities.

“I challenge this work,” she said. “How do we use something that is inaccurate. I’m disappointed, quite frankly.”

The cutoff point for including data in the plan, compiled in several thick binders, was June 2008.

Gaymon responded that the plan should be considered a blueprint, or strategy, that will change and evolve constantly as the region grows from BRAC and the Kia auto factory and supplier plants being built in and around West Point, Ga.

“This study, this plan if you will, should be a roadmap,” he said. “Are there things that need to be worked on, hammered on, changed, adapted? Absolutely. It is not perfect. It is a work in progress. All of these studies should be living, breathing documents.”

Walt Rosso, chairman of the Chattahoochee County Commission, said the plan should be a tool that brings local residents and citizens together.

“We, the 10 counties, just need to talk to each other as often as we can in open and honest communication,” he said. “That way we can see if we’re having the same problems and talk about: How did they work on it? And how can we work on ours?”
Harry Lange, chairman of the Valley Partnership, an economic development organization headed by the Columbus chamber, offered a bit of levity early in the meeting. He had just returned from an annual meeting of Georgia’s Association of County Commissions.

“Believe you me, I have heard some pretty sad tales,” he said. “There are a lot of counties and municipalities out there with a lot of problems these days.

“We are very, very fortunate that we do have the BRAC expansion, and we have the Kia development and their suppliers, which are helping to insulate us to a great extent from some of the problems across the state.”

Colulmbus Ledger-Enquirer

[Sam552311]

Originally Posted by Columbus1984

BRAC expansion at Benning on track

Officials say growth is inevitable; study tackles challenges facing 10 Columbus area counties



Colulmbus Ledger-Enquirer

Another nice article that is beginning to reflect what many in the city have had questions about over the past months.
This will become a nightmare for taxpayers on top of steady economic hardships as the city continues to lose the good paying jobs that are not replaced.

[Columbus1984]

Originally Posted by Sam552311

Another nice article that is beginning to reflect what many in the city have had questions about over the past months.

Exactly, so now it's all cleared up. It's happening and will be a great things for the metro area, you can't dispute that. Yes, there will be growing pains, but overall, it will be a major economic shot in the arm for the area!

[Brillemeister]

All in all, Columbus looks good in the near future from this Atlantan's viewpoint. A shrinking unemployment rate, already? Not bad.

[Sam552311]

Originally Posted by Brillemeister

All in all, Columbus looks good in the near future from this Atlantan's viewpoint. A shrinking unemployment rate, already? Not bad.

Unemployment is down pretty much statewide....
We are getting much different info here at the base than the civilian community is putting out overall and it certainly seems strange that city leaders are patting themselves on the back when they had little or nothing to do with BRAC or Kia.

[Sam552311]

Originally Posted by Columbus1984

Exactly, so now it's all cleared up. It's happening and will be a great things for the metro area, you can't dispute that. Yes, there will be growing pains, but overall, it will be a major economic shot in the arm for the area!

I think we can all agree it is "happening" obviously but is basically a move to save the govt money and little to do with making great things happen for Columbus.
Economically speaking the base chatter is all about the "new" Benning rather than Columbus and it certainly will be.
Now THAT we can all agree on.... and if not for the unfortunate security situation Columbus citizens may have been going to Benning for leisure activities as there are many.
It does sound like you know very little about military life and probably have never been on base.

[ATLCOL1]

Good website on BRAC's impact on the Columbus region.

Fort Benning and the Valley - Home

[Sam552311]

Originally Posted by ATLCOL1

Good website on BRAC's impact on the Columbus region.

Fort Benning and the Valley - Home

If Ft Benning has not had an impact on surrounding areas by now it never will as seen in Cusseta that looks like a ghost town and is only a couple of miles from major growth area as well as Ft Mitchell on the south entrance.

I think someone is going a bit overboard saying that areas as far away as Butler,Ellaville,Lumpkin,Buena Vista will be impacted as most of these areas have never benefited from the base even 30-40 years ago when growth at Ft Benning was double what is now expected.

Ft Benning renewal will certainly benefit the military and their families giving them a nearly new installation but do little for the city overall.
You would think the city would be preparing for this supposed growth but have done nothing since the announcement was made except patting each other on the back and sitting on their hands.

Most troop influx will be trainees here temporarily for 3-4 month cycles anyway.

Come visit us out at the base and see where the real difference will be!!

[ATLCOL1]

Originally Posted by Sam552311

If Ft Benning has not had an impact on surrounding areas by now it never will as seen in Cusseta that looks like a ghost town and is only a couple of miles from major growth area as well as Ft Mitchell on the south entrance.

I think someone is going a bit overboard saying that areas as far away as Butler,Ellaville,Lumpkin,Buena Vista will be impacted as most of these areas have never benefited from the base even 30-40 years ago when growth at Ft Benning was double what is now expected.

Ft Benning renewal will certainly benefit the military and their families giving them a nearly new installation but do little for the city overall.
You would think the city would be preparing for this supposed growth but have done nothing since the announcement was made except patting each other on the back and sitting on their hands.

Most troop influx will be trainees here temporarily for 3-4 month cycles anyway.

Come visit us out at the base and see where the real difference will be!!

Let's just go ahead and face it, whatever positive facts are presented, you don't believe it or you bash it. Facts are what matter. This will be a huge for Columbus. If you don't believe it, you are the only one I have ever heard say that ROFL!

Stop trying to make this sound like it isn't a big deal. National media has picked up on it. Columbus will benefit for years and years to come .

[powerplay]

Originally Posted by ATLCOL1

Let's just go ahead and face it, whatever positive facts are presented, you don't believe it or you bash it. Facts are what matter. This will be a huge for Columbus. If you don't believe it, you are the only one I have ever heard say that ROFL!

Stop trying to make this sound like it isn't a big deal. National media has picked up on it. Columbus will benefit for years and years to come .

Sam,
Ignore this poster like the rest of us as it has been the same old rant about BRAC,KIA etc for months with not one thing having come to pass.
Your facts are correct but he choses to hammer anyone who does not believe in his economic philosphies and golden buddah...SELIG....
His recent post to you has caught him in an absolute falsehood in saying that you are only one who does not believe his facts.
National media picked up on the stocking strangler and the Kenneth Walker shootings etc too.....how did the city benefit from that?..lol

Thanks again for your honesty....we need more folks like you at Benning to speak out on what is really going on.

ps....Thanks for the three reputation points folks whoever you may be!