6 months ago
Jack Skinner spends his time creating masterpieces of stone, but putting together the sign that will usher in new business to his community might be some of his finest work yet.
"It's big. It's impressive," said Skinner.
If you travel though Jones County on Highway 57 you may have noticed Skinner working on a change of scenery. His work announces the dawn of a new era in Jones County.
The county plans to bring new life and new money into the area with its first industrial park, Griswoldville Park.
"If it could create some more jobs that would help, bring some more tax revenue to the county," said Skinner.
The county agrees. Jones bought 972 acres of raw land for the project. Costing them more than $2.6 million dollars.
Doug Redmond with the Jones-Gray Chamber of Commerce says it has space for about 6 or 7 businesses to move in and power up Jones' economy.
"This was a historic industrial center of Jones County back in the 1860s here at Griswoldville you had a pistol manufacturer, a soap works, a candle making operation," said Redmond.
While the same industries may not return to the site, Greg Mullis with the county's development authority says the park will bring something many people want.
"Well obviously bring jobs, which is important but also bring the investment of if we located a manufacturer here, the equipment facilities they would bring an important boost to our tax base," Mullis.
He says about 80 percent of the people who live in Jones commute outside the county for work. Still, he says the potential for new business and growth might reduce that number and bring in more people at the same time.
"I think it's good for everybody in Central Georgia," said Redmond.
An idea Skinner says he agrees with, but also one he's glad to be part of.
The Jones County Chamber of Commerce expects the site to be successful because of the interstate and rail access close-by. The chamber says it's working with state partners and agencies to market the site to businesses looking to locate in Georgia.
