WALKER COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS APPLYING TO THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS TO CREATE "ENTERPRISE ZONES" IN THREE LOCATIONS.  IF APPROVED, IT WOULD ALLOW TAX ADVANTAGES AND OTHER INCENTIVES FOR BUSINESSES BRINGING NEW JOBS HERE.  THE THREE AREAS BEING NOMINATED AS "ENTERPRISE ZONES" ARE A PORTION OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, KENSINGTON AND MOUNTAIN COVE.  IN NOMINATING THE AREA… COMMISSIONER BEBE HEISKELL NOTED THAT THERE ARE TWO INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS AVAILABLE… ALONG WITH LOTS OF VACANT FARM LAND. 

JOB-LOSS AND POVERTY ARE BOTH HIGH AMONG RESIDENTS OF THE AREA, AS WELL.  IF APPROVED, COMMISSIONER HEISKELL SAID THE AREA WOULD ENJOY "TIER-ONE STATUS"… AND WOULD BE AMONG THE TOP PROPERTIES MARKETED FOR NEW BUSINESS VENTURES BY THE STATE OF GEORGIA. ONE PROJECT ALREADY IN THE PLANNING STAGE IS A HOTEL AND CONFERENCE CENTER, TO BE LOCATED ATOP LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN IN THE CLOUDLAND AREA OF WALKER COUNTY AND OVERLOOKING THE MOUNTAIN COVE – PIGEON MOUNTAIN WILDLIFE AREA.  HEISKELL SAID A MAJOR HOTEL OPERATOR IS INTERESTED IN THE PROJECT… BUT IT HAS BEEN DELAYED BY THE POOR ECONOMY.

WQCH