See this entire feature in GaBiz Winter 2026 here.
Photo credit: Courtney Linberg
ONCE AGAIN, Georgia’s business-friendly approach has helped the state break investment records. For fiscal year 2025, the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Global Commerce team supported 423 facility expansions and new locations.
The total investment amount is $26.3 billion, with 23,200 new private sector jobs expected in the next few years. In a recent statement, Governor Brian Kemp said, “Today’s numbers are just the latest confirmation that our partnership approach and the hard work of our incredible economic development team are delivering results for Georgians that will pay off for generations. I also want to thank our partners in the legislature, whose support makes it easy to promote Georgia to both current and
prospective employers.”
While the state is attracting new companies, established companies are expanding. Of the 423 facilities, 74 percent were expansions to support 50,000 existing jobs, exemplifying Georgia’s skill at retaining companies and nurturing existing relationships.
The effects are felt statewide, with 77 percent of the projects based outside of metro Atlanta, which remains a top business hub. Mercedes-Benz, Duracell, and CRH, the leading global provider of building materials, all established or expanded corporate functions in metro Atlanta.
International investment has been key; the state created 6,500 jobs at foreign companies, accounting for $3 billion in investment. Sixty-four percent of those were expansions of companies that already have a footprint in Georgia, such as a new GreenBox Systems location in Butts County and Kiss USA in Bryan County. South Korea, Japan, and Canada were the top three sources of foreign investment. In response, the state is investing $18 million in rural site preparation through infrastructure grants to help companies set up shop efficiently and effectively in the state. The momentum is part of why Georgia has been named the No. 1 state in which to do business for the 12th year in a row by Area Development magazine.
Trail Blazing
The Atlanta Beltline, a case study in how large-scale urban planning can economically and socially impact a city, hit a milestone this year with its 20th anniversary. The 22-mile redevelopment project, which sees 2.5 million visitors annually, has driven $10 billion in economic impact over the last two decades. Sixty-four businesses have been launched through its small business accelerator, the Beltline Ventures program; more than 800 art events and installations have been showcased; and 87 acres for affordable housing preservation and community-serving development have been acquired. In tandem, more than 270 households have been enrolled in the Legacy Resident Retention Program. The program helps longtime residents stay in their homes and create wealth, resulting in a collective increase of $10.8 million in property values. So far, 12.8 miles of the main loop have been completed; the remaining 10.3 miles are expected to be completed by 2030.
The Buzz
ICON IMMORTALIZED
The Postal Service is honoring Jimmy Carter with a commemorative Forever stamp. It features a 1982 portrait of the late president by painter Herbert E.Adams and was released in October 2025, on what would have been his 101st birthday.
BEER ROOM
Anheuser-Busch will invest $9.2 million in its Cartersville brewery to upgrade the equipment responsible for Michelob Ultra, the fastest-growing beer in the country and top-selling beer in the Southeast. The location, which produces 48 different products and has been open since 1993, has undergone $230 million in upgrades in the last
five years.
