In the face of a challenging economy, Rome and Floyd County business and industry leaders celebrated the investment of $48 million by new and primarily existing industries in 2010, along with the creation of 185 new primary jobs.

Throughout the six-year run of the Partners in Prosperity program, Rome and Floyd County has seen a total of $179.6 million in new capital investment and 577 primary jobs created.

The Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce had its Partners in Prosperity Return on Investment breakfast at Coosa Country Club Wednesday morning.

During the session, AT&T representative Don Barbour announced the utility was bringing 15 new jobs to its service center in Rome. Chamber officials also announced Sara Lee had quietly added about 60 new jobs at their plant on Darlington Drive during the past year.

After celebrating expansions at Temple Inland, Syntec Industries, Pirelli, Profile Extrusion and others, chamber President Al Hodge’s demeanor turned serious when the impending closure of Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital was discussed.

“The chamber wants it to remain open and intact,” Hodge said. “We don’t want to talk about the closure, but that is inevitable (by the year 2015).”

Hodge said the closure would have unintended consequences from patient care to a variety of ripple effects throughout the community.

He encouraged the well more than 100 participants at the breakfast to contact state lawmakers, as well as Dr. Frank Shelp, commissioner of Georgia Department of Behavioral and Development Disabilities, Gov. Nathan Deal or anyone else they could to express support for the hospital, its patients and more than 700 employees.

Hodge concluded the breakfast by urging the business, industry and government leaders to support local businesses.

“The single greatest way we can grow and retain jobs in Rome and Floyd County is for you to spend your dollars right here in Rome and Floyd County like you never have before,” Hodge said.