Fort Valley anticipates economic boost with $80 million grant for 700 new jobs

Fort Valley, Ga (WGXA) – Eighty million dollars in federal grant money is set to bring 700 new jobs to Fort Valley, Georgia. Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock announced that the investment, co-sponsored by Senator Jon Ossoff, is expected to create 428 manufacturing jobs and 250 construction jobs for Blue Bird in Fort Valley. Donald Mathis, owner of “A Cut Above” barbershop, expressed the community’s need for this support, stating, “The city is struggling, but I think with that grant it’ll help.”

Fort Valley Mayor Jeffrey Lundy agrees, noting, “We’re at the very bottom when it comes to our economics, when it comes down to, you know, the average household income, and I call that survival.” Lundy believes this investment will revitalize the city and provide significant opportunities for families.

According to Warnock’s office, the grant will fund a new 600,000-square-foot manufacturing facility to produce zero-emission electric school buses. The focus will be on education and training for the current and future workforce. Mathis highlights the potential benefits for the youth, saying, “We do have to bring something in here for our youth, that’s the biggest thing, you know, supporting what’s going to help the city grow. And you start with your children first.”

Warnock states that the grant will help Blue Bird meet the growing demand for EV school buses and improve transportation access for Georgia students. Mayor Lundy expressed gratitude towards the senators, saying, “Realizing how important, you know, clean air, clean space for our children and bus transportation, we’re looking at that from a lot of different ways. And so what I say to them is, you said it, you did it, you delivered, and we’re all about to prosper in Fort Valley and Peach County because of that.”