Spires at Berry close to breaking ground
The college’s new retirement community is expected to seek local bond financing.
Development Authority of Floyd County attorney Scott Smith told members of the agency Wednesday that he anticipates needing a called meeting of the body to approve a bond package for Berry’s College’s new continuing care retirement community, The Spires at Berry College.
Smith told the group that he has been contacted about the bond package but had no details with respect to how much the project’s bond package will be valued at.
The Development Authority of Floyd County has approved bonds to support various projects at the college through the years.
Rome Floyd Chamber President Al Hodge told the development agency that Rome and Floyd County have received 18 site visits from prospective new employers this year.
“Prospect activity continues to be very strong,” Hodge said. “We’ve had over 100 leads.”
The economic development team has received 57 inquiries this year.
“That’s the next progression from a lead. It’s a specific request,” Hodge said. He said the chamber had had 25 requests for existing buildings.
“That doesn’t mean every one of those would have come here,” Hodge said “Unfortunately that does mean missed opportunities.”
Hodge said he picked up two leads during a reception in Atlanta last week, one in the information technology realm and another in direct manufacturing.
Chamber Economic Development Director Heather Seckman said she would be attending a European-American Investment Council conference next week.
“We are very involved in getting the name of Rome and Floyd County out there to different organizations,” Seckman said.