House economic-development committee advances HR 883 and hears regional tourism, industry briefings

The Georgia House Economic Development and Tourism Committee voted to advance House Resolution 883 to the Rules Committee and then spent the meeting hearing presentations from local and regional economic-development and tourism leaders across the state.

Committee Chair Speaker Stevens opened the meeting by moving consideration of House Resolution 883 toward the Rules Committee; the chair announced the motion carried on a committee voice vote. The committee then heard presentations from the Columbus Chamber of Commerce and Visit Columbus GA, the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce, representatives of Bulloch/Statesboro, Cartersville-Bartow County and the Macon-Bibb Industrial Authority.

Why it matters: lawmakers said the speakers demonstrated how tourism and targeted economic-development tools—stadium and downtown projects, major events, site development and workforce credentialing—are being used locally to attract private investment and visitor spending, and how those projects interact with state programs and infrastructure needs.

Brian Solito, vice president of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, told the committee Columbus has invested in a $50 million revitalization of the city’s baseball facility and related public amenities and is pursuing mixed-use redevelopment of a downtown area he called South Commons. "We have successfully transformed Columbus' image downtown," Solito said, and he urged continued state support for programs such as the OneGeorgia…