Sweet City LLC claims that during the initial phase of the project 439 persons will be employed for a revenue of $70 Million. They also claim this activity will support an additional 175 jobs for a total impact of 614 employees paying over $17 million in wages and salary benefits. They claim that in addition the facility is expected to bring in over $1.1 Million in local tax revenue.
On 10/25/2011 Nathan Deal announced Hailo would bring 200 jobs to Elberton. According to their website they employ 50, but the Elberton Star should investigate whether that figure is accurate. As this was written there were 10 cars in their parking lot at 10:00am on a Monday morning. There seems to be no activity after the day shift.
Gov. Nathan Deal Announces 200 Jobs Coming to Elbert County (10/25/2011)
Hailo PowerPoint Presentation (09/11/2013)
This is not the only example. Remember Torrington and the 300 jobs they were bringing to Elberton? No one knows how many jobs Sweet City LLC would bring. Historically speaking, promised jobs and realized jobs are not the same. The glaring fundamental difference is that this time when the employer clears out all we are left holding is a big mound of what we do not know, almost certainly polluted groundwater, rivers and streams, and a very large tract of land untenantable in perpetuity. Do we want this to be the legacy of our generation?