Effingham IDA approves schedule for Moon River
Posted: November 26, 2014 - 12:01am
By G.G. Rigsby
The Effingham County Industrial Development Authority on Thursday approved a development schedule for Moon River Studios that calls for the first part of the project to be finished in December 2015.
The first phase of the project, which will be built on 1,600 acres the IDA owns at Old River Road and Interstate 16, will include two 20,000 square-foot stages, one 20,000 square-foot office building, one 20,000 square-foot warehouse, two soccer fields and associated parking and infrastructure. Board members were told at their meeting that the company earned approval for its development of regional impact on Nov. 10, with standard stipulations.
A traffic analysis says phase one will have little impact on traffic operations of the area. No off-site traffic improvements are necessary for the first phase.
The company has said it will invest $90 million in the entire project and will create 527 jobs within five years.
The development schedule is the last thing the IDA board had to approve before the end of the year, said IDA CEO John Henry. “Thank goodness,” he said.
“Amen,” added Moon River CEO Jake Shapiro.
Board member Dick Knowlton abstained from the vote about approving the development schedule. All the rest of the board voted to approve it, except for Chap Bennett, who was absent.
Knowlton said he wanted additional information before he could vote for it, including having an outside firm vet the capability of the current operators of Moon River to pull off the project and an analysis of what incentives others have given for similar projects.
He said those are precautions he would take if he or his family were investing in a project.
The IDA will spend $1.25 million to build a road and, after the company has created at least 250 jobs, as much as $3 million to provide water and sewer service.
On another topic, board members agreed to let the city of Rincon annex 400 acres in the Research Forest Tract if the city earns permission to build an at-grade crossing over the CSX railroad and if it builds the crossing and a road from Ga. 21 to McCall Road.
Board Chairman Dennis Webb said details such as whether the city would be compensated for building the road would be worked out later.
The sole person voting against the measure was Charles Hinely. He said he was on the board back when it condemned the property for the IDA to use it for industrial purposes. He said the IDA, not Rincon or any other city, should control what happens on that property.
In other action, the board received its audit for the fiscal year ended June 30, by Caines, Hodges & Co. PC of Rincon. The audit did not find any material weaknesses. Donald Caines said two minor concerns mentioned last year – regarding documentation for credit card purchases and for engineering billing – were addressed successfully.
