News Story Published On 5/4/2005

By Linda S. Morris
Telegraph Staff Writer
Published in The Telegraph (Macon, GA)

A $2.5 million campaign expected to create more than 8,000 new jobs will be unveiled today by Bibb County economic leaders.

Macon Now! is a five-year initiative of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce aimed at improving the local business climate, officials said Tuesday.

Here's how it works: The chamber will spearhead an effort to raise the money, most of it from corporate donations. That money will be used to assist existing businesses, develop new ones and enhance the community's image.

"I think we're viewed as a hot area right now, and I think we have an opportunity to capitalize on that," said Mike Dyer, the campaign's chairman and general manager of Cox Communications. "I think these windows open only occasionally, and we might not have another window for a number of years."

A number of local business leaders have agreed to serve on a council that will oversee how the $2.5 million is spent, said Chip Cherry, president of the chamber and the Macon Economic Development Commission. The campaign is expected to be complete by the end of July.

Plans for the campaign began in 2003, Cherry said, as the chamber and Macon Economic Development Commission looked at how the county's economic efforts could be more effective.

"We know that what we're doing generates results on a very thin budget," Cherry said. "And with the allocation of additional resources, we could reasonably expect better results, a better yield, more economic growth and more vitality."

It's no accident that the first initiative is helping existing industry, he said. Nearly $800,000 is designated for this effort.

"(Existing businesses) are vested here. They have more of a track record here," Cherry said. "We need to make sure we pay attention to those folks."

With funds from the campaign, the chamber plans to hire a person who will focus on existing industry, he said.

"All that person is going to do is eat, sleep and drink existing business and industry," he said.

The campaign's second initiative will set aside more than $850,000 to attract new business.

Of the 8,400 new jobs expected, 4,000 will be created directly by the initiative, and 4,400 jobs will come from a regional multiplier, said Juli Golemi, an economist with the Economic Strategy Center of Atlanta, which helped the chamber arrive at its job predictions.

Normally, indirect jobs are in the service sector, such as restaurants and retailers, she said.

Officials expect to spend nearly $500,000 on the final initiative of encouraging local leaders to realize positive events in the community by effectively using advertising, Cherry said.

"We want to keep sharing the good news to drive that point home to get people to feel better about their community," he said.

The campaign's timing could not be better, Cherry said, in light of recent announcements of new companies moving to the area.

In recent months, signs of economic growth are evident in Bibb County. The Kohl's department store chain has built a distribution center in south Bibb County, Bass Pro Shops is building a distribution center with an attached store off Bass Road, and plans are under way for a new convention center hotel in downtown Macon.

"We have momentum. We have positive velocity and we need to take advantage of that," Cherry said. "Given the right resources, we think we can do even better."

Paul Leath, regional manager of Atlanta Gas Light Co., said his company will financially support the effort, and its contribution will be announced today.

Leath said Bibb County hasn't been able to reach its maximum economic potential.

"I feel the initiative will help get us there," he said.

The recent spate of positive economic news in Bibb County should encourage local business leaders, he said.

"Success breeds success," Leath said. "Some people are on the fence, and as we have more success, I think you will find more jumping in and joining the effort."