UNION COUNTY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
100 Hunt-Martin Street
(formerly 100 Hospital Street)
P.O. Box 801
Blairsville, Georgia 30514-0801 U.S.A.
Mitch Griggs, Executive Director
Phone (706) 745-4500
Fax (706) 745-4500
email:  mitch@ucda.net

Why Blairsville?

What makes UNION COUNTY, GEORGIA attractive?

   Blairsville is located just north of the Atlanta sprawl, with a higher than average number of second homes, retirees, and commuters.  The job base is characterized by low  wages and high employment.  A large percentage (31%) of the residents commute out of the area to work.  Union County Schools perform well relative to the rest of the state, and have been improving steadily.  The population is growing at a rate double the rest of Georgia (one of the fastest growing states) and is skewing older.  Health and hospital services are very good and easily accessible.  Located almost equidistance (2 hours) from Atlanta, Chattanooga, Knoxville,  Asheville and Greenville, at a high elevation (about 2,000 feet above sea level with mountain peaks up to 4,784), the climate is delightful.  Blairsville is a tourist destination because of scenic beauty, cultural heritage, recreational  opportunities, and easy access with a small-town atmosphere.  

The water is pure, the air is  healthy, and the people are friendly.

Blairsville has many assets for economic development, including:

• Blairsville Airport Regional Industrial Park has 112 acres with graded sites, water and sewer.
• Newest industry, Applewood Doors & Windows, Inc. with 50 jobs on 10 acres, 113,400 sf. in BARIP.
• 2nd lowest local County property taxes in Georgia.
• TVA electric power costs here are among the lowest in the Southeast, plus start-up incentive rate.
• Population grew 44.2% in last decade per 2000 Census.  60 families move into Union County per month.
• North Georgia Technical College, Blairsville Campus has grown to 525 students.
• New retailers include Bi Lo Grocery, Zaxby's, Wendy's, Waffle House and The Home Depot.
• High-speed four-lane access highway (GA 515) to I-575 and I-75 into Atlanta.
• Blairsville - strategically located about 2 hours from 5 large cities.
• Blairsville Regional Airport runway expansion is completed to 5,000 feet x 100 feet wide.
• Over 128 miles of optical fiber cable with DMS 100 Switch, DSL and Wireless internet.
• Growing labor force and excellent training system.    Home Depot took 3,000 applications for 150 jobs.
• Excellent public schools and test scores. Our 3rd graders tested #1 in state in 2001.
• $11-million high school is in operation, new $8-million middle school just opened.
• Fine medical community and award-winning local hospital.   (GA Rural Hospital of Year in 2001).
• Current new construction:  $6-MM Courthouse expansion, $4-MM Airport expansion, $40-MM Hospital expansion,
• High quality-of-life, low cost-of-living mountain resort community.
• No union members in County's manufacturing workforce.
• Expansion plans underway for municipal waste-water treatment facility.
• Local officials working together to provide new job opportunities for citizens.

Entrance to Blairsville from west on US 76/GA 515 (The Zell Miller Parkway).