The Mid-Georgia Gateway Joint Development Authority will soon receive an initial payment from the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority as part of a $21 million, tri-county investment to develop 1,534 acres known as the “MegaSite” in Peach County to draw jobs and share the tax revenue.
In May, Houston, Peach and Macon-Bibb County governments formed the 25-year authority, MGGJDA, and each pledged up to $7 million toward marketing, infrastructure, recruitment and associated costs to make the site viable for an industrial development of “regional significance.” They adopted bylaws at the new authority’s first meeting, May 19.
On June 8, MGGJDA’s board approved a nearly $500,000 budget for Fiscal Year 2027 that began July 1 and includes $200,000 for land acquisition.
Macon-Bibb’s industrial authority, or MBCIA, called a special board meeting Wednesday to approve $250,000 to seed the MGGJDA’s FY’27 budget from its revolving development fund, plus up to $450,000 to reimburse Peach County for money already spent on the MegaSite.
Houston County also will pitch in $250,000 as an initial contribution for the first year of operation, according to actions taken at the May meeting of the joint development authority..
“The total commitment from each county is seven million,” MBCIA Executive Director Stephen Adams told his board. “The plan would be that those remaining funds are not drawn down until they are needed, but there are additional site acquisitions and developments that are still needing to be made, and so that additional funding would come at a request down the road.”
MBCIA Board Chair Robby Fountain said the industrial authority will be reimbursed under the agreement.
“These monies will flow back through the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority when we will recoup our $7 million, so that’s how we will be repaid in the near future,” Fountain said.
How near in the future depends on how quickly the site can be sold and developed.
The Development Authority of Peach County purchased the MegaSite through a OneGeorgia Authority Grant which requires state approval of any project leasing or buying the property.
The MegaSite’s website boasts of “an extremely flat topography that significantly minimizes development costs and accelerates construction timelines” and no “unforeseen delays” because all environmental assessments are complete.
As a hint Georgia’s economic developers would like to have another multi-billion dollar car manufacturer, the website states the site “offers dedicated space for an ‘off-road’ test track, a huge advantage for automotive and heavy equipment manufacturers, alongside a valuable conservation area.”
Authority leadership, strategy
The intergovernmental contract includes tax commissioners and boards of tax assessors from each county, and the Peach County School District since the authority will likely offer a tax abatement incentive over a period of years for the new manufacturer.
Once the future company begins making payments in lieu of taxes under a PILOT program, that money would be nearly evenly split between the counties until their $7 million investment is repaid.
After the $21 million is recouped, the revenue sharing agreement mandates Peach County receive 60% of the net PILOT or ad valorem tax revenues, with Macon-Bibb and Houston each receiving 20%.
The MGGJDA’s focus is limited to the MegaSite which stretches from Ga. 96 northward to Mossy Creek, bordered on the west side by Old Macon and Fire Tower roads, and near Lily Creek and Fullwood roads on the east.
If Peach County’s Board of Commissioners approves, the authority could extend those boundaries to contiguous acreage or any property directly accessible to Ga. 96 either westward toward Fort Valley or eastward toward the Houston County line, under the founding resolution.
While the authority’s agreement is between county governments and their taxing arms, economic developers, like Adams, will be working together with the Georgia Department of Economic Development to market the site.
The state has seen regional investments and recruitment strategy payoff, Adams said.
“The model is multiple counties working together, utilizing the entirety of your bandwidth. And it shows well with prospects. I mean, I think prospects are very mindful that their workforce is not going to come from any one county. It’s going to come from a radius, and therefore, you know, they’d like to know that there is a regional approach to locating them.”
Adams said this MegaSite opportunity follows a decade of Macon-Bibb County industries building eight million square feet of new industrial space. Money earned from selling industrial land goes back into the revolving fund that’s providing the $7 million for this partnership.
“Success has limited our inventory, and therefore, strategically trying to identify the ability to continue recruiting projects that bring with them significant positive economic impact to our region,” Adams said. “And so, when the idea was hatched to partner with Peach County and Houston County, we were willing and interested partners, and excited to have this opportunity to focus on a regional project of significance.”
The MGGJDA is ironing out how the regional authority will handle media releases, open records requests and other operational logistics, but its board of directors is set through automatic appointments of current office holders and executives.
Peach County has four directors: Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Roy Lewis, who serves as MGGJDA Chair, Development Authority Chairman David Cleveland, Vice Chair of the Board of Commissioners Betty Hill and Peach County Board of Education Chairman Scott Hodges, who is MGGJDA’s secretary.
Houston County Chairman Dan Perdue, who was elected MGGJDA treasurer, and Marian Fraley, the chair of the Development Authority of Houston County, join MBCIA Chairman Fountain and Macon-Bibb Mayor Lester Miller, who serves as Vice Chair on the eight-member board.
— Peyton Anderson Civic Journalism Senior Fellow Liz Fabian covers Macon-Bibb County government entities for The Macon Newsroom and can be reached at [email protected] or 478-301-2976.
