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Union County reports low unemployment and tourism rebound after February sales uptick

Union County Development Authority Board of Directors · March 9, 2026
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

Board members heard December and February sales figures and regional unemployment statistics: Georgia 3.6% (Dec 2025), Union County 3.2%, GMRC region 2.8% (labor force 245,133). Tourism leaders reported a February rebound and are exploring tracking event impacts and a live‑work‑play development.

Ivan Walker presented regional and local economic indicators to the board, reporting a December 2025 statewide unemployment rate of 3.6% (Georgia) and a Union County rate of 3.2%. He added that the Georgia Mountain Regional Commission (GMRC) region had an unemployment rate of 2.8% and a labor force of 245,133.

Courtney Waller delivered a tourism update for Chamber President Steve Rowe. Waller said sales tax revenue dipped in January but rebounded strongly in February and that December sales were record setting. The County is exploring expanded event impact tracking and considering a potential live‑work‑play development to address housing and retail shortages while attracting more visitor traffic.

Board members discussed strategic planning support: Chair Rick Davenport noted that the GMRC provides a county comprehensive plan with five‑year updates and that the University of Georgia is completing a county‑wide strategic plan for Union County and the City of Blairsville, with a final draft expected by the end of March.

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