Author: Alfie Meek

Sidebar Conference Presentation

The Sidebar Conference, sponsored by Seyfarth Shaw, Georgia Power, GEDA, and the Center for Economic Development Research (CEDR) is a four-hour training session for development authority members and fulfills the requirement for mandated Development Authority and Downtown Development Authority Board Member training.  This is not only the best, most comprehensive training offered in Georgia, but it is also FREE!

Alfie Meek and Leigh Hopkins from CEDR spoke at the training on February 23rd.  Both presentations can be downloaded below.

Alfie Meek – “COVID-19 & The Economy: An Update”

Leigh Hopkins – “Community Resilience Post COVID“

Griffin-Spalding Continues to Build on CEDR’s Work

The Lakes at Green Valley is a 570-acre site-ready industrial park development located in unincorporated Spalding County, approximately three miles from the eastern city limits of Griffin, and seven miles west of Interstate 75.  The Griffin-Spalding Development Authority (GSDA) worked with the Center for Economic Development Research (CEDR) to differentiate industrial development in the area by capitalizing on the park’s natural assets, incorporating mixed-uses, and minimizing its impact on the environment. The GSDA intended for The Lakes at Green Valley to be the State of Georgia’s first “eco-industrial park.”

Although various degrees exist – from the less-structured “green industrial park” to the synergy of a complete system in an “integrated eco-industrial park”- the overall concept aimed to create an environment where industrial systems imitate natural ecosystems through the reuse and sharing of energy, materials, and waste. CEDR provided the GSDA with recommendations to develop The Lakes at Green Valley as an eco-industrial park over several years, including the development of a mission statement and guiding principles for the park, tools for industry attraction and retention, and the creation of a nonprofit and advisory board to manage the park’s sustainability initiatives.

Nine years later, the park continues to be a huge success and has become a home for several Japanese firms.

How Georgia’s First Eco-Industrial Park Became a Magnet for Japanese Investment

 

Cost of Community Services in Effingham County, GA

The Effingham County Industrial Development Authority wanted a better understanding of both the benefits and costs of growth. There is a growing body of empirical evidence that shows that commercial and/or industrial development can improve the financial situation of a local government. However, residential development, with its demands for local government services, often has the opposite effect. This study presents the cost of community services by land use for Effingham County, Georgia.

Economic Impact of the Atlanta Housing Authority (2014-2019)

Atlanta Housing (formerly called Atlanta Housing Authority) was founded in 1938 and is considered the very first and oldest housing authority in the United States. Today, Atlanta Housing (AH) is the largest housing agency in Georgia and one of the largest in the United States, serving approximately 50,000 people.

This report quantifies the economic impact of AH within the primary investment area of the City of Atlanta. Specifically, the economic impact was done for a period of 6 years – 2014 through 2019. This period was chosen because it corresponds to the end of the mortgage and credit crisis, and overall stabilization of the economy. The analysis is done for three major expenditure components – capital spending, operational spending, and housing subsidy payments (which are a sub-component of operational spending). This research will provide a baseline from which future planning decisions may be calculated and bench marked.

Fiscal Impact of the Georgia Agribusiness and Rural Jobs Tax Credit

This report examines the fiscal impact of the Georgia Agribusiness and Rural Jobs Act (GARJA).

The portfolio provided to the research team represented $100 million of investments that were made in 33 rural Georgia companies.  These investments were directly responsible for the creation, or retention, of more than 1,000 jobs across rural Georgia in various industries.  Combined, these jobs represent nearly $50 million in personal income in rural Georgia.

These jobs and their related economic activity are projected to generate $23.4 million annually for all levels of government across the state.  About $10.7 million of that is expected to accrue to the state. Conservatively assuming that no more jobs were created over the next 10 years in these businesses, the return ratio to the State of Georgia would be 1.56 after 10 years.  In other words, over a 10-year period, if these jobs are maintained, the state could expect to get back 56 percent more in revenue than it gave in credits.

The report can be found here.

The Fiscal Impact of SunTrust Park at The Battery Atlanta on Cobb County

This report examines the fiscal impact that the new home of the Atlanta Braves, SunTrust Park, and The Battery Atlanta has on Cobb County, Georgia as well as the Cobb County School System.   The report looks at the $300 million public contribution as well as the millions of dollars the county contributes annually to capital maintenance and operating costs.  It also looks at the $800 million of fully-taxable private investment that the Braves directly injected into the local economy through a mixed-use, fully-planned development, and answers the question, “does this level of guaranteed private investment change the calculus for public financing of a stadium?”

A graphic overview can be found here.

The Executive Summary can be found here.

The Economic and Fiscal Impact of the Music Industry in Georgia: Production, Distribution, Support, and Tourism

This report examines the impact that the music industry has on the Georgia economy.  Excluding music tourism, the economic impact of the music industry in Georgia in 2016 was $3.5 billion. There were nearly 17,000 people employed by, or who spent a significant part of their time, and/or received a significant part of their income from the music industry.

Fiscal Impact of the Proposed City of St. Simons/Sea Island on Glynn County, Georgia

This report examined the fiscal impact that the proposed City of St. Simons/Sea Island would have on Glynn County.  The report answers several key questions not addressed by previous studies, including:

  • To what extent will the county loose revenues that currently fund countywide services?
  • To what extent will the county be able to reduce service costs due to the creation of the new city?
  • If lost revenues exceed lost expenses, how much of a millage rate increase will be needed to make up the difference.

The final report played a key role in informing decision makers about the complete fiscal impact of new city creation on ALL Glynn County taxpayers.

How Are You Responding to Challenging Times?

The Georgia Manufacturing Survey is a periodic statewide study conducted by Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute and School of Public Policy to assess the business and technological conditions of Georgia’s manufacturers. Survey results are used to improve manufacturing assistance programs and regional innovation and sustainability initiatives in Georgia. The questionnaire is mailed to all manufacturing facilities with 10 or more employees. In addition, electronic options are available including downloading the questionnaire [PDF] or completing an online version of survey. Click here to complete the online version.

Contact Jan Youtie for more information. Sponsors: Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute; School of Public Policy; Georgia Department of Labor; Kennesaw State University; and Habif, Arogeti, and Wynne, LLC.

Nanotechnology Research and Innovation Systems Assessment Group at Georgia Tech

Nanotechnology involves the understanding and manipulation of molecular-sized materials (with dimensions under 100 nanometers) to create new products and processes with novel features due to nanoscale properties. In recent years, governments and companies around the world have made major investments in nanotechnology R&D. Nanotechnology is expected to become a key driver of new technology-oriented business and economic growth. Nanotechnology-enabled products are already being marketed, and many more nanotechnology products, processes, and devices will be commercialized in future years. We believe that it is important to track, analyze and understand trajectories of nanotechnology research and innovation as a contribution both to policies related to nanotechnology’s economic deployment and to the evidence base upon which other societal and risks assessments can draw.

The Nanotechnology Research and Innovation Systems Assessment Group at Georgia Tech comprises faculty, researchers and students associated with the Program in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP) of the Georgia Tech School of Public Policy and the Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute. The Group constitutes one of the real-time technology assessment programs of the the Center for Nanotechnology in Society (CNS-ASU) sponsored by the National Science Foundation. CNS-ASU is a multi-organizational center, led by Arizona State University and involving several other US universities, including Georgia Tech.

Key Faculty and Senior Researchers

  • Philip Shapira, Georgia Tech School of Public Policy and Manchester Institute of Innovation Research
  • Jan Youtie, Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute
  • Alan Porter, Georgia Tech School of Public Policy and School of Industrial Systems and Engineering (Emeritus).
  • Juan Rogers, Georgia Tech School of Public Policy
  • Andrea Fernandez-Ribas, Georgia Tech Program in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy

    • Full listing of research group members and alumni