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Cordele hears updates on $100M-plus industrial, retail projects and tourism ideas to draw visitors
Summary
City officials received an economic development briefing highlighting two ~$30 million manufacturing projects and a Yancey facility expected to add hundreds of jobs, followed by a tourism expert’s pitch to leverage film, music and rail history to attract visitors and boost downtown activity.
Commissioners on Thursday heard a two-part update on Cordele’s economic outlook: an industrial and retail investment briefing followed by a presentation on entertainment tourism.
An economic development representative, addressed in the meeting as Grant, described recent and prospective investments in the city. He cited a $30 million automated dry-mix cement plant (about 140,000 square feet, roughly 35 employees); an Advanced Drainage Systems project (about $30 million, 109,000 square feet, roughly 50 employees); and an agreement with Yancey Engineered Solutions for a roughly $5.7 million investment expected to employ about 300 people within two years — including approximately 200 welders.
Grant highlighted Cordele’s rail access and shovel-ready industrial sites, noting that the county’s median household income data (reported to the end of 2024) showed a 51% increase over a 10-year period for the county as a whole. Several commissioners asked for city-specific income figures and cautioned that county-wide increases may not reflect median income inside city limits.
After the industrial update, Linda Smith, founder of the Entertainment Tourism Alliance of Georgia, urged commissioners to consider low-cost ways to convert blighted downtown properties and local film history into visitor attractions. Smith cited examples of Georgia towns that have monetized film locations and said Cordele’s rail legacy and recent film shoots provide material for themed facades, walking tours and school partnerships. She suggested short-term aesthetic interventions and placemaking to create photo-op sites and walking routes that could bring repeat and out-of-town visitors.
Commission reactions were broadly positive; commissioners asked for follow-up details and for additional, city-level economic indicators (including city-specific median income) to guide retail recruitment and budget projections.
What’s next: Staff said they will provide more granular city-level income and employment data and continue to work with private partners and the Industrial Development Authority to track project timelines and local hiring projections.
