Augusta | Richmond County: From Obstacles to Opportunity

Excited About Partnerships: Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson. Photo credit: Hillary Kay

Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson woke up at 3:47 a.m. on Sept. 27 and found his neighborhood unrecognizable. Hurricane Helene’s high winds and historic flooding had toppled trees and snapped power lines. Maneuvering his way around these obstacles, Johnson walked to the main road and flagged down the only car in sight, an iHeart Radio employee tasked with bringing the local station back online. Johnson hitched a ride to the city’s emergency operations center. While en route, he learned his cousin’s husband was one of the people who died.

“We lost seven lives in Augusta and Richmond County alone,” Johnson says. “Thirty- one lives were lost throughout the CRSA [Central Savannah River Area].”

“Six months later … we were still wrapping up debris cleanup,” he says. “We’ve removed nearly 5 million cubic yards of debris. We’ve spent in excess of $50 million in debris cleanup. In [North Augusta] Columbia County, debris cleanup cost over $65 million.”

New Projects

As the region continues its recovery efforts, Augusta and Richmond County leaders are also turning their attention to a number of projects, including construction of a new $250 million arena, a complete facelift of the downtown corridor through a streetscaping initiative and a nine-hole course called The Loop at The Patch at the Augusta Municipal Golf Course, designed by five-time Masters Tournament champion Tiger Woods.

Master Plan: Map of the Loop at The Patch, a new par-3 course designed by Tiger Woods and TGR Design, at the historic Augusta Municipal Golf Course. Photo credit: Augusta National Golf Club

“Dirt is finally moving on the renovations at The Patch,” Johnson says. “[Augusta National Chair Fred Ridley] made the groundbreaking announcement on the first day of the Masters this past April, and we’ll have a ribbon cutting ceremony next April.”

The Patch will reopen with a redesigned 18-hole course, along with the Woods-designed par-3 course that is nine holes. The renovation project at The Patch is a joint initiative between Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta Technical College, Masters Tournament Charities, Inc. and The First Tee of Augusta. It aims to strengthen public golf in the community, provide opportunities for golf-related workforce training, and expand golf access and educational programs.

Additionally, Augusta National is partnering with Woods and his TGR Foundation to open a TGR Learning Lab, a science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) education center. Augusta National will provide funding for construction and ongoing operations of the center, which is expected to open in 2028.

Making Upgrades: Renderings of two different views of the new clubhouse at The Patch, above and top, which will open in 2026 with a redesigned 18-hole course, as well as a nine-hole course designed by five-time Masters Tournament champion Tiger Woods. Photo credit: Augusta National Golf Club

“We’re excited about these partnerships,” the mayor says. “We continue to be a city focused on opportunities for the people who live here.”

One of those notable opportunities is the expansion of Aurubis, a German-based, multimetal recycling company that has invested at least $800 million in a first-of-its kind facility in the U.S. Aurubis is a global provider of non-ferrous metals used in countless modern-day essentials, from mobile phones and computers to power plants and electric vehicles. It is one of the largest copper recyclers in the world.

“Construction is close to completion, and they’re hoping to start producing product in the fourth quarter,” says Cal Wray, president of the Augusta Economic Development Authority. “The company will create 240 jobs. They’re sitting at [roughly 200] now.”

Aurubis is located in the Augusta Corporate Park, across from GF Casting Solutions, a Swiss-based auto parts supplier that is expected to begin operations by the end of 2026. Phase One is almost finished, and equipment is being installed.

Notable Expansion: Rendering of Aurubis, a German-based multimetal recycling company that has invested at least $800 million in a first-of-its-kind facility in the U.S. Photo credit: Aurubis

“[GF Casting is] a $224 million investment that will create 343 jobs,” he says. “Manufacturing is one of the top industries in the [region]; there are 438 manufacturers in the region that employ roughly 25,000 people in the MSA [Metropolitan Statistical Area]. The industry is expected to grow by 2,000 more jobs by 2026.”

Wray says from 2013 to 2023, the seven-county MSA (five in Georgia, two in South Carolina) added 74 new manufacturing operations in the region.

“As of the [fourth] quarter of 2024, manufacturers are estimated to have made $8.1 billion in purchases from suppliers in the U.S., with 27%, [or] $2.2 billion of those purchases, being made in the Augusta MSA,” he says.

Local Chambers Step Up

In May, Wray was the guest speaker at the quarterly luncheon of the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce, where he highlighted the growth and momentum in the manufacturing sector, according to new chamber President and CEO Angie Cox. Cox took the helm last year – not long before Hurricane Helene roared through.

“I was named president of the chamber less than 30 days before an unprecedented, once-in-a century hurricane hit,” she says. “It was interesting to navigate and manage. It was very reminiscent of COVID; a lot of people were displaced, kids couldn’t get to school, [their parents] couldn’t get to their jobs. In situations like this, the chamber can be the ultimate connector and can really disseminate information to members, nonmembers and the community.”

Creative Solutions: Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Angie Cox. Photo credit: Hillary Kay

Cox says the Augusta chamber collaborated with the seven other local chambers in the region to communicate information about disaster relief and recovery efforts – information about everything from debris pickup to food and water giveaways.

“A lot of what we did and what we provided was what the members told us they needed,” she says. “If someone said, ‘I have to turn in payroll by tomorrow, but I have no internet access,’ we’d say, ‘Come to our office and use our network provider.’ We were really creative. It was really all about … what our members and community needed.”

Natural disasters notwithstanding, Cox says the chamber’s advocacy efforts and legislative priorities are the meat and potatoes of its efforts. The Augusta chamber is one of the state’s older chambers at 117 years old, and it consists of about 1,150 members.

“The chamber being very involved on the local and state level is the biggest value-add benefit of being a chamber member,” she says. “Even if you’re not a chamber member, a majority of the time what we’re fighting for and communicating to our legislators is beneficial to the majority of the businesses in the community.”

Collaborative Efforts: Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce President and Cofounder Ronic West. Photo credit: Hillary Kay

For example, last year the chamber played a pivotal role in the passage of House Bill 880, which allowed military spouses to use an existing professional license in good standing from another state to get a job in Georgia. With Fort Gordon employing 30,000 military and civilian employees, it was essential to overcome a six- to eight-month hurdle for for military spouses, like nurses, to become licensed to practice in Georgia, says Cox, who adds that out-of-state licenses are now good “on day one” while the license holder goes through the licensing process applicable to Georgia.

Another legislative win backed by the chamber: Military retirees living in Georgia will no longer have to pay income taxes on part of their retirement income. Beginning with the 2026 tax year, the new law exempts up to $65,000 in income taxes.

“It’s these retirees that are part of the future workforce,” Cox says. “They retire from the military and go into civilian work. We want to make sure we are as military friendly as possible, so they will want to stay here with their families and continue to work here.”

Helping Hands: The Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce held a Hurricane Relief Giveaway and Family Fun Day in October 2024, giving water and supplies to families in need. Photo credit: Contributed

The Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce also stepped up to help neighbors in need after the hurricane, partnering with Georgia Power to deliver 3,000 meals directly to residents, according to President and Cofounder Ronic West.

“The [GABCC] was instrumental in helping the Small Business Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency set up locations to help mitigate losses,” West says. “We set up fairs to get perishable [food] out to the community. It was all dedicated to help the community recover.”

Founded with 50 members in 2017, the GABCC has grown to about 250 members today, West says. To date, it has provided training to 1,263 business owners, given 65 one-on-one technical assistance sessions on topics like raising funds and applying for an LLC and taught more than 82 capacity-building classes, according to West.

“It was a no-brainer that his region needed a Black chamber,” she says. “The city is 56% Black.”

West says Black businesses face many longstanding and historical challenges, including access to capital and being charged more by vendors. The GABBC helps members navigate those challenges.

Facilitating Business Growth: Accelerate Augusta, opening this year, is a microenterprise incubator that aims to provide guidance and resources to entrepreneurs and small business owners. Photo credit: Contributed

“We’re big on collaborating and getting what is needed in our community,” she says. “One of the ways we do that is to address access to capital. We’ve provided $577,000 in grants to small businesses in the CRSA, and we have also provided loans of about $45,000 so far.”

This summer, the Downtown Development Authority is celebrating the opening of Accelerate Augusta, a microenterprise incubator aimed at providing guidance and resources to entrepreneurs and small business owners. The goal is to facilitate small business growth and investment in downtown Augusta, says Margaret Woodard, executive director of the Downtown Development Authority.

Investing in Downtown: Margaret Woodard, director of the Downtown Development Authority. Photo credit: Hillary Kay

“Accelerate Augusta is a training center for aspiring entrepreneurs and a resource center for existing small businesses,” she says. “The center was made possible by a $2.35 million appropriations grant through Sen. [Raphael] Warnock’s office and a partnership with the city.”

The center is housed in a city-owned building designed by I.M. Pei in the heart of downtown that’s leased by the DDA, according to Woodard. In partnership with Augusta Technical College, it offers boot camps, essential resources, mentorship and opportunities for growth.

Cyber Partnerships

From advocating for small businesses to protecting the region’s largest employer, the Alliance for Fort Gordon is a nonprofit organization that promotes and supports the military installation and the surrounding community. Fort Gordon is the home of the Cyber Center for Excellence.

Support for Service Members: Tom Clark, executive director of the Alliance for Fort Gordon. Photo credit: Hillary Kay

“We may, on any given day, work with the House and Senate to push legislation to benefit the installation, whether it’s protecting the money being allocated to them or it’s just advocating for service members and their families in general,” says Tom Clark, executive director of the alliance.

The Alliance for Fort Gordon hosts an annual CyberPatriot summer camp for rising sixth graders through rising 12th graders. Photo credit: Contributed

In addition to its advocacy efforts, the alliance hosts an annual CyberPatriot summer camp for rising sixth graders through rising 12th graders. The free summer camps have been held since 2019.

“We’ll host 1,000 youth at cyber camp,” Clark says. “We’re helping grow the local workforce.”

Prepared to Work: Augusta University President Russell Keen. Photo credit: Hillary Kay

A partnership between the Army’s Cyber Center and Augusta University allows service members stationed at Fort Gordon and around the world to access two online graduate degree programs – a Master of Science in Information Security Management and a Master of Arts in Intelligence and Security Studies – offered by the university.

Launch of the two master’s programs in 2023 marked the start of the university’s first fully online graduate degree programs offered through Augusta University Online. A campus-based doctoral program in Computer and Cyber Sciences began in 2021, and in May, the program awarded its first Ph.D. Augusta University President Russell Keen says three more Ph.D. graduates are expected in December.

Prepared to Work: Studen Cyber Center. Photo credit: Contributed

“Our first Ph.D. program was in response to listening to our partners at Fort [Gordon] and in the community,” Keen says. “Our cyber security graduates are prepared to go out and defend the country, but they are also prepared to go and work in the major industries and corporations around our state whether in the private, nonprofit, higher education, government or healthcare sectors. The demand for this program from our friends at Fort [Gordon] and beyond continues to grow exponentially.”

Medical Advances

Cyber security is just one area in which the reverberations of what happens on the Augusta University campus go far beyond Augusta, Keen says. Designated Georgia’s health sciences university, AU is home to the Medical College of Georgia, as well as the Dental College of Georgia, the state’s sole dental school.

Academic Mindset: Ralph Turner, senior vice president for Wellstar Health System and president of Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center. Photo credit: Contributed

“The Medical College of Georgia is the fourth largest and 13th oldest medical college [in the U.S.],” he says. “We’ve got physicians that are alumni all over this state taking care of the sons and daughters of Georgia. We see it as our responsibility to help provide the workforce in healthcare and beyond for the State of Georgia.”

In 2028, the medical college will celebrate its 200th anniversary. Across that long history, research done at the college has contributed to the development of statin drugs and treatments for sickle cell disease, according to Keen. And those innovations continue today.

“People from all over the world are traveling to Augusta, Georgia to be a part of clinical trials for pediatric brain tumors that are happening here,” he says. “It just makes you feel like we’re getting so close to a cure for these diseases and to be a part of that is just truly special.”

On the horizon: A $146 million, 150,000-square-foot research building to support the university’s forward momentum. The groundbreaking on the building is expected in 2027.

The medical school also has a partnership with Wellstar Health System that benefits both the school and the hospital.

“We take the academic mindset, vision and resources of MCG and execute it on the clinical side to benefit the patients across Georgia,” says Ralph Turner, senior vice president for Wellstar Health System and president of Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center.

More Housing and Attractions

High Occupancy Rates: The 136-unit Augustan on Green Street. Photo credit: Contributed

Beyond business and healthcare, a downtown housing boom is contributing to revitalization efforts, and new entertainment attractions are expected to boost the economy by an estimated $1.6 billion.

As of 2024, there were 434 housing units completed downtown, according to the Downtown Development Authority’s Woodard. “These are market-rate apartments. What’s been great is, generally we’ve had smaller projects, the upper floors of a building on Broad Street or a building renovated into 22 units, but what we’re seeing now are larger projects.”

Two of those projects are the 245-unit The Lofts at King Mill and the 136-unit Augustan on Green Street, one of the major gateways into the city, according to Woodard.

New Apartment Complex: The 245-unit The Lofts at Kings Mill. Photo credit: Contributed

“King Mill started leasing in December, and to date, it’s 60% occupied and 80% pre-leased,” she says. “Our occupancy rates are just wonderful. We’re seeing anything averaging from 91.5% to 100% occupied.”

For Bennish Brown, president and CEO of Destination Augusta, the city has many attractions that are already popular with visitors, but with the addition of the new arena and an outdoor adventure center on the river, the future of tourism is bright.

“Visitors were just under 6 million in 2024,” Brown says. “The economic impact of tourism in 2023 was more than $800 million. Our energy, focus and effort will continue to go toward making tourism a $1 billion industry, and I think we are well on our way of achieving that.”