Medient shifts focus from housing to studio
A manufacturing company that would create 350 jobs and invest more than $7 million in capital improvements is considering a site in Effingham County, according to the CEO of the Industrial Development Authority.
John Henry said at a Feb. 20 IDA meeting that representatives of the company recently visited the Governor Treutlen site in the county’s industrial park, at Ga. 21 and Ga. 275.
He said the site was the only one in the area that the company is considering. “They’re very limited,” he said. “They’re a high-power user. They are looking at very few sites in the state.”
Henry said the prospects spent only about 30 minutes at the site, but that they “seemed very enthusiastic.”
He declined to identify the prospect.
Meanwhile, Henry said Medient is working “steadfastly” on signing a contract with a general contractor and developing a revised master plan.
Henry said an emphasis on building housing in the project’s early stages, which a possible investor wanted, is no longer being considered.
“The focus is back on the studio solely now,” Henry said. “The higher water users fell by the wayside.”
Henry said Medient had 30 days remaining on the IDA’s 60-day extension to come up with a revised master plan and general contractor.
Medient has said it plans to build a $90 million movie production and entertainment complex on 1,600 acres of IDA land at Old River Road in Effingham County.