Yellowhammer’s inaugural Alabama Economic Growth Summit is set for February 18th and 19th at the Renaissance Ross Bridge Resort in Hoover. (Seating is limited, so grab your tickets while you still can.)
In preparation for the Summit, we’re chatting with Alabama leaders who are working to rev up the state’s job creation engine.
First up is Guntersville Mayor Leigh Dollar.
Guntersville sits on a 69,000 acre lake, Lake Guntersville, the largest lake in Alabama. The lake includes some of the best bass fishing in America, and the city’s economy has benefited from the tourism dollars it generates. But that’s not all Alabama’s Lake City has to offer, as you’ll see in the below interview with Mayor Dollar. Guntersville appears poised to use its natural resources — and human capital — to create an economic boom.
YELLOWHAMMER: What are the biggest challenges of economic development on the local level?
MAYOR DOLLAR: For a smaller community, the lack of visibility is always a key hurdle. It’s not a case of negative perceptions…Guntersville is blessed to have a very positive reputation among almost everyone who is familiar with our unique mountain-lakes community. It’s more of an “invisibility” problem of not making the radar screen for many projects where we would be a perfect fit — and just as convenient as other locations which are technically within a metro area. Smaller towns, like Guntersville, have great things to offer businesses, but getting the word out about what we have to offer can be a real challenge.
YH: What does Guntersville have to offer to companies that sets it apart from other Alabama towns?
MD: We are proud to say it’s a long list, but Guntersville’s unique attributes stem from two key features.
First is 69,000 acre Lake Guntersville, which literally surrounds our city in a natural setting that attracts people from all over the world for our small town charm, our sunsets, our fishing and a host of other things. It’s no accident that we are known as Alabama’s Lake City and we are able to leverage our unique geography whether it’s for tourism, business development or quality of life.
The second key factor is Guntersville’s proximity to two economic powerhouses, Huntsville and Birmingham. Guntersville offers a unique business park called Conners Island for companies that want to be — whether for strategic reasons or quality of life benefits — convenient to, but slightly removed from, a metro area. Conners Island actually offers quicker access to parts of Huntsville than certain locations within the city footprint.
YH: Why is it important for you and Guntersville to have a presence at the upcoming Alabama Economic Growth Summit?
MD: Economic development is a process, not an event. Being involved in economic development activities requires networking with other regions and working together with folks from all around the state to solve Alabama’s problems. This Summit will be a great opportunity to network with other cities, state leadership and to learn how to move Guntersville forward. We are committed to a regional approach to economic development, to being a good team player in our region and we are committed to supporting activities and initiatives at every level. We believe in being involved, whether it’s involvement in Leadership Alabama or taking leadership roles in workforce development, cyber security or aviation activities. We are confident that being visible and engaged at events like this Summit will pay dividends for us and we are looking forward to being a part of this great event.
YH: What speaker or panel discussion are you looking forward to most?
MD: For us, it is probably the economic development panel chaired by Commissioner Canfield. Greg has done a great job with the Department of Commerce and that panel features some leading experts on industry sectors that are a perfect fit for Guntersville. We are also looking forward to hearing Andy Andrews.
YH: What is one thing that people may not realize about Guntersville that you would like them to know?
MD: Well, to take a liberty with your “one thing” question, I would say that it is the fact that our new airport expansion and renovation and our new 5,000 foot runway are just minutes from Main Channel Brewery, Guntersville’s entry into Alabama’s booming brewery industry! Our new jet-capable airport, which happens to be a growing seaplane hub, is adjacent to Conners Island Business Park and five minutes from downtown Guntersville.
GET YOUR TICKETS NOW: Yellowhammer’s inaugural Alabama Economic Growth Summit is set to take place next month
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