2014 good year for economic development in the area. (Columbus, Commerce: construction jobs, construction)

[Columbuskidd92]

This has been a good year for economic development, community leaders were told Thursday at a Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

Bill Murphy, executive vice president for economic development for the Chamber of Commerce and the Valley Partnership, presented the 2014 State of Economic Development report to a crowd of more than 100 at the Columbus State University Cunningham Center.

Murphy said the region saw 1,525 local jobs retained and 605 new jobs created this year and is on its way to seeing $100 million in capital investment.

Among the highlights Murphy reported were Blue Cross and Blue Shield, which was awarded the Project of the Year award in the office category for committing $62 million to build a 235,000 square foot complex in the Muscogee Technology Park. The complex will serve as the company's hub for serving its 3 million customers. The project will retain 815 jobs and create 750 new jobs, according to the economic development report.

Kodak, which was given the Project of the Year award in the manufacturing category, is building a new high-speed manufacturing facility in Corporate Ridge. The $15 million plant will retain 225 jobs and create 40 new jobs, the report states.

Up the road in West Point, KOPLA, a Korean auto parts supplier that serves the Kia plant, announced late last year that it would build a $15 million, 100,000 square foot manufacturing plant that will employ 150 people.

Murphy said that carrying the level of recent success forward will mean challenging the status quo and making the region more inclusive.

2014 good year for economic development in the area | Business | Columbus Ledger Enquirer

[admedlin]

Originally Posted by Columbuskidd92

This has been a good year for economic development, community leaders were told Thursday at a Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce luncheon.


Murphy said that carrying the level of recent success forward will mean challenging the status quo and making the region more inclusive.

I think that is the biggest problem with Columbus. Its like the whole "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality. I've seen that a lot since moving to my new position at a local family-owned business. We have always sold this alarm panel and these cameras, I've always written notes on full sized legal pads, we have never bid on government or construction jobs, etc etc. I come in here with my ipad for notes and email and google earth, and everything else, bidding on jobs and selling new products.

Point is, Columbus needs to be open to change and needs to realize that what has worked before has only kept the city afloat. What they need is something to push them into the future. That something could be the redevelopment project on 2nd Ave. It could be pushing for a Costco, Bass Pro, Dave & Buster's, etc. Big distribution centers and other large industrial just north of Columbus on I-185?

This isn't a political ad, but we need to make sure we have forward thinking people in office and people need to vote.

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[Sonofagun112]

Originally Posted by admedlin

I think that is the biggest problem with Columbus. Its like the whole "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality. I've seen that a lot since moving to my new position at a local family-owned business. We have always sold this alarm panel and these cameras, I've always written notes on full sized legal pads, we have never bid on government or construction jobs, etc etc. I come in here with my ipad for notes and email and google earth, and everything else, bidding on jobs and selling new products.

Point is, Columbus needs to be open to change and needs to realize that what has worked before has only kept the city afloat. What they need is something to push them into the future. That something could be the redevelopment project on 2nd Ave. It could be pushing for a Costco, Bass Pro, Dave & Buster's, etc. Big distribution centers and other large industrial just north of Columbus on I-185?

This isn't a political ad, but we need to make sure we have forward thinking people in office and people need to vote.

.

Amen!