For the first time in 20 years, Site Selection Magazine has named Valdosta-Lowndes County as one of the country’s top 10 metro areas with the most economic development projects.
 
Site Selection, an internationally circulated business publication covering corporate real estate and economic development, recently notified the Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority (VLCDA) that Valdosta-Lowndes County had been placed on its top 10 list for regions with populations of less than 200,000 people.
 
“What an exciting time for the Valdosta metro area, “said Terri Lupo, chairwoman of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority. “For our metro community to be named as a top 10, speaks to the tremendous success we’ve had working cooperatively as a team to ensure that Lowndes County is a great place for businesses to succeed.”
 
Every year, the publication rates metro areas in terms of the number of major economic development projects happening in the region. Site Selection publishes the top 10 lists—which were released on Monday, March 4—for metro areas with more than one million people, between 200,000 and one million individuals, and fewer than 200,000 residents.
 
Compiling the lists using a database that provides information about investments and the overall economic health of communities across the country, Site Selection focuses on new corporate facility projects with significant impact, including headquarters and manufacturing plants; research and development operations with logistics sites; and other economic development projects. It does not track retail or government facilities, schools, and hospitals. To qualify for the publication’s lists, new facilities and expansions must involve a capital investment of at least $1 million, create at least 20 new jobs, or add at least 20,000 square feet of new floor area.
 
“Over the last few years, our community has worked tirelessly to strengthen the position of Valdosta-Lowndes County with regards to those factors that ultimately create jobs.  We must continue to focus on improvement, while aggressively seeking new opportunities.  This is an exciting time to live, work and play in Valdosta-Lowndes County.  I look forward to working with the City of Valdosta, the Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority and others throughout our region to encourage smart growth that results in economic success.”, said Bill Slaughter, chairman Lowndes County Board of Commissioners.
 
In 2019, the Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority announced the creation of 389 new jobs with a total capital investment of $181,050,000 into our community. Investments and new job creations came from two new industries including Arglass Yamamura and Better Way Products.
 
“Valdosta’s No.5 ranking on the 2019 Top Metro List by Site Selection Magazine represents the hard work of our dedicated economic development team. We have talented and trained professionals who constantly showcase the great resources that our community has to offer,” said Mayor Scott James Matheson. “Our Economic Development team continues to work with companies to make sure they have all the support they need to be successful and with our local University, Technical College, and K-12 School Systems to make sure that we provide paths of workforce development within our community. This ranking is all the more reason to continue collaborating with our community partners to grow Valdosta-Lowndes and provide more high-quality jobs for South Georgia residents”