Calhoun and Talladega counties, in east Alabama, have easy interstate access, a great quality of life and work hard to attract business, industry and tourism that benefit the region.
Both counties are working to have available land, infrastructure and spec buildings to attract more industry. The Calhoun County Economic Development Council received an $858,000 Site Evaluation and Economic Development Strategy (SEEDS) grant to help purchase 150-plus acres of property near the Oxford West Industrial Park.
And plans are being developed for a third 100,000-square-foot speculative building in the Lincoln Industrial Park in Talladega County. The first two spec buildings there are occupied by Lohr and Aer-Flo Sports.
Calhoun County’s largest employer is the Anniston Army Depot. The county also is the home of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Center for Domestic Preparedness, providing training for first responders from all 50 states. And McClellan, a former U.S. Army fort that is now a master-planned mixed-use development, continues to grow.
In Talladega County, Honda Alabama Auto Plant is the largest overall employer, creating its own economic impact and attracting automotive supplier firms.
Meanwhile, schools and colleges work to build the workforce.
Calhoun County is home to the new Choccolocco Research Education and Technical Experience Center (CREATE), offering varied skills training. “This is something we’ve needed for a long time,” says Center Director Lorie Denton. “This will truly change east Alabama.” Upskill training for adults and incumbent worker training will be offered in the evenings, she says.
And in Talladega County, programming and site development is completed for the future East Alabama Rural Innovation and Training Hub (EARTH), located on the former Avondale Mills property in Sylacauga. It includes space for EARTH and the Talladega County Board of Education’s planned Rural Innovation Campus.
These counties also are home to major tourism attractions, from NASCAR at Talladega Superspeedway to the Talladega National Forest. It also is home to a wide range of tourism attractions — from hiking and biking to historical locations. Ecotourism is very popular.
Quality of life and amenities for residents and tourists also are important here, as cities build bike trails, hiking trails, park improvements, downtown revitalization and more.
Lori Chandler Pruitt is a freelance writer for Business Alabama. She is based in Birmingham.
For more on Calhoun and Talladega counties, see the links below:
This story appears in the July 2024 issue of Business Alabama.