The new Lowe’s Home Improvement distribution center continues to rise from a former pasture, turned industrial park, about 10 miles northeast of Rome. (Doug Walker / Rome News-Tribune)
Heather Seckman, economic development director for the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce, said Geo-Hydro Engineers had been contracted to conduct the borings on a 52-acre site that sits northeast of the Lowe’s property. The same firm also did new borings on a 100-acre site located in the northwest quadrant of the Ga. 53-Ga.140 intersection.
“Lowe’s required them (soil borings) and then came in and did some of their own,” said Nancy Smith, chairman of the Development Authority of Floyd County.
Serious interest in a couple of sites that are part of the new North Floyd Industrial Park prompted the DAFC to authorize payment for updated soil borings at two locations. Six borings were done on each of the two tracts.
Looking to the DAFC’s $3,250 share of the cost of the borings, member Mark Eubanks asked Seckman to make sure they are pretty strong prospects.
“Oh definitely,” Seckman responded. “We are very active with multiple prospects right now. We continue to show the 100-acre site and the 52-acre site.”
The Rome Floyd County Development Authority will be asked to split the cost of the soil borings when they meet next Tuesday.
Billy Turner, a farmer who has kept cattle on the 100-acre site for the last six years, has also been given 60 days notice to move his cattle from the location.
“We’ve seen an increase in activity at the Floyd County Industrial Park, that 40-acre site (off U.S. 27 south),” Seckman said following the brief meeting Wednesday morning. “I’m looking into trying to find estimates on doing soil borings on that property.”
Seckman said that since the DAFC last met in April her office has attended a number of trade shows and conferences strategically aligned with the type of industry Rome and Floyd County are interested in attracting.
“For example, the Georgia Automotive Manufacturer’s Association and then also the German-American Chamber of Commerce (related to the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga), and then we also attended the Japan American Southeast U.S. annual meeting,” Seckman said. “We are very strategic in our attendance at trade shows and conferences. They have to be in alignment with what we are interested in attracting to our community.”
How much did floyd county pay for the dead trees that are littering the industrial site for the new lowes distribution center? How much is the water bill for the 24 hour watering that is taking place over there? how much is it going to cost tax payers again to replace the dead trees?