Issue link: http://savannah.uberflip.com/i/939381
25 In Bryan County, NorthPoint Development, a privately-held development firm based in Kansas City, Mo., has begun construction on a 419,000-square foot e-commerce fulfillment center in Interstate Centre II in Ellabell for VMInnovations, an e-commerce company based in Nebraska. The Ellabell facility is VMInnovations' first location in the Southeastern United States and is scheduled for completion in April 2018. The project represents a capital investment of over $19 million and the company will employ 50 people at the Ellabell location within five years. Additionally, C&H Precision Weapons, a manufacturer of hand-built precision rifles and provider of customized pistol modifications and firearm accessories, has moved their operations from Labelle, Fla. to Richmond Hill. In Liberty County, the manufacturing sector remained steady in 2017. Elan Technology commenced a $4 million expansion project. The Ports The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) had a record-breaking year in 2017, surpassing 4 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent container) and 35 million tons of cargo at America's fourth busiest port. The additional 400,000 TEUs handled in 2017 represent 11% growth as compared to 2016. Cargo handling records were set in 10 of 12 months in 2017 for the all-time busiest month on record. Savannah's port was recently rated as North America's most highly connected port to worldwide markets by a major consulting firm in the industry. The exceptional competitive advantage of Savannah's ports did not happen serendipitously, but as a result of long-term strategic planning, business development, and investment in port facilities. These previous and on-going efforts will continue to pay dividends in 2018 and additional growth in port activity can be expected. Significant investment in port facilities in Savannah and Georgia will continue to keep the GPA facilities among the most competitive in the country for years to come. A $13 million construction project is underway to expand the terminal gates, bringing the total number of truck lanes to 54 and better connecting the port to the Jimmy Deloach Parkway and I-95. Further, a $47 million investment in Neo-Panamax cranes will add four cranes to GPA's fleet in 2018 and an additional six cranes by 2020. Combined, the fleet of 36 cranes will be able to move 1,300 TEUs per hour. Substantial investment in transportation infrastructure is intended to improve port efficiency and ease regional highway congestion. GPA approved expenditure of $42 million (of $128 million total expected) for the Mason Mega Rail Terminal that will double the port's rail capacity to 1 million container lifts and push the port's competitive reach well into the Midwest. It will also substantially reduce the number of rail-related road stoppages and remove 100,000 trucks per year from local roads. Ground-breaking will be in 2018 with expected completion in 2020. The investment will allow the Garden City Terminal to serve double-stacked 10,000-foot long trains. The $20 million Appalachian Regional Port (in Murray County) is expected to open in 2018, further reducing local truck traffic by enhancing rail connectivity to the southeastern United States. Work continues on the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP). Dredging the outer harbor to a depth of 47 feet should be completed by mid-March of 2018. This $135 million component of SHEP extends the outer harbor channel 7 miles, making its length about 18.5 miles from Fort Pulaski to the Atlantic Ocean point of entry. Tidal gates have been recently removed from the Back River and the $100 million dissolved oxygen injection system is nearing completion as of early 2018. Governor Deal's 2018 budget for Georgia includes $35 million (brings the state's contribution to $301 million), while the federal budget for 2018 includes $50 million. The annual federal portion of funding (up to 75% of project total) needs to be doubled to keep the project on track and has been the focus of numerous visits to the nation's capital by representatives of the region's business and political leadership. Tourism Savannah's tourism industry performed as expected in 2017, with indicators of tourism activity (car rentals, alcohol sales, visitors of tours) posting gains in the 3% to 4% range. Hotel room tax revenue was up 7.5% on a year-to-date basis through September 2017. Airline passenger numbers increased by nearly 13% in 2017 as compared to 2016.