Несмотря на замедление роста метрополитена Атланты, экономика Грузии демонстрирует приток инвестиций и рабочих мест

ATLANTA — A new study from the Atlanta Regional Commission shows the 11-county metro Atlanta area grew at its slowest rate in a decade over the last year, but Georgia Chamber President and CEO Chris Clark says the region and the state continue to attract people and new business investment. The Atlanta Regional Commission’s report shows the 11-county area grew by 1% over the last year. Despite the slower pace, the metro area is still expected to add nearly 2 million people by 2050. “If you compare the growth rates to 10 years ago, we’re seeing much more evenly spread out growth around the state,” Clark said. Clark pointed to growth outside metro Atlanta, including in Savannah, Macon and Columbus. “The Savannahs, the Macons, the Columbus’, are growing at a better rate than they were 10 years ago,” Clark said. According to the Georgia Chamber, the state has gained 174,000 jobs over the last five years and seen more than $80 billion in new investment statewide during that same period. Trade through the Port of Savannah has also increased by 7% over the last five years. Clark said much of the economic development is also reaching rural parts of the state. “We’re getting good growth statewide and a lot of that is because 83% of the economic development projects that have been announced in the last 6 years have been in rural communities,” Clark said. Clark said some rural communities that had been losing population are now seeing growth. “A lot of our rural communities that were losing population are now growing. Maybe it’s only a 2% growth, but for a small community in southwest Georgia, that’s significant,” Clark said. Despite metro Atlanta’s slower growth rate, Clark said he expects the region to continue adding residents. “Atlanta is going to continue to add people to the entire mega-opolis region,” Clark said. Clark said he is confident new investment will continue flowing into Georgia. WSB Radio’s Graham Carroll contributed to this story.