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

2

42

42

42

629

252

254

252

Mt SolonMt Solon

WestAugusta

WestAugusta

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

3

42

42

42

629

252

254

252

Mt SolonMt Solon

WestAugusta

WestAugusta





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

6

$33.12 million

capital investment

528 jobs

created /retained

5projects

announced

7

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

10

AccuTEC Blades expands

53 new jobs

$5.4 million

investment150

Augusta County jobs

Preserved

Former American Safety Razor/Energizer

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12

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

augusta county economic development and tourism cy2015/fy2016 report

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