At her regular weekly meeting on Thursday, Walker County Commissioner Bebe Heiskell announced that Walker County had finally secured the former Swanson Farm on US27 to serve as a new industrial and business park.
“I want to commend voters who made this purchase possible,” Ms. Heiskell said. “This was put on the ballot in November and was overwhelmingly supported.”
The purchase of the Swanson Farm was a part of the last SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) referendum that was past by Walker County voters back in November.
“This property represents the future of Walker County because it provides opportunity for new economic growth,” Ms. Heiskell said.
The property consists of some 423 acres which made the purchase price total $4,230,000 as the county paid $10,000 per acre. $40,000 of option money spent by the county over the last four years went against the purchase total.The 423 acres joins an existing 40 the county had purchased a few years back making the combined total acreage of the future park some 463 acres.
“This property represents the largest contiguous acreage available north of Atlanta,” said economic development director Larry Brooks. “This will allow the Walker County Development Authority the ability to market the county to larger manufacturers.”
According to Mr. Brooks, there are three companies who are actively looking at the property forpossible future development. The county has set aside about $2 million for the development of the new park out of SPLOST revenues.
“We hope to start initial development as soon as the weather permits probably late spring or early summer,” Mr. Brooks said.