In the 16 years since it was launched, The Lakes at Green Valley, a 230-hectare mixed-use development in metropolitan Atlanta, is now fully occupied, having attracted many Japanese companies looking for highly developed infrastructure, easy access to transportation links, vibrant communities and environment-friendly development plans.
“We have basically sold out The Lakes at Green Valley and have no more land. Our priority now is to try to get more land to offer. We still get a lot of interest in our community. We have people that still call and hope we have space left in the eco-park. We want them to know that the store is open even if the shelves are empty,” said Griffin-Spalding Development Authority’s Executive Director David Luckie.
The GSDA has stepped up its efforts to acquire more land and “put stuff back on the shelf” so that people continue to come to Griffin-Spalding. It is also prioritizing workforce development because present and potential investors want to have assured access to skilled workers. Another priority will be developing a sister city relationship with a city in Japan.
“We’re working on promoting Japanese culture in our community. We have been working closely with Japanese consulate-generals. We would like to develop that sister city relationship because it will also bolster our relationship with Japanese companies. While we continue nurturing our relationships with companies here, we also look forward to developing relationships with new companies. We do not plan to have our shelves empty for long, and are continuing to go after Japanese investments,” Luckie said.
