Valdosta/Tifton: New Delicacy in South Georgia?

STAFF REPORT - The Tifton Gazette is reporting a surprising new delicacy that could become big business in South Georgia - truffles. Long one of fine dining's apex delicacies, the truffle is a fungus that is found just below the ground in forests throughout Europe. Now, a Tifton researcher has helped identify a local truffle that could open up a new domestic delicacy. Sometimes referred to as a Pecan Truffle, because it often appears in pecan orchards, these newly identified truffles had routinely been thrown away by South Georgia pecan harvesters as a nuisance! Click on the link below for the full article from the Tifton Gazette.

http://tiftongazette.com/local/x1277744797/S-Ga-truffles-Scientists-identify-valuable-new-crop

Atlanta: Proposed Expansion of PDK Airport May Mean More Hangars, Less Controversy

STAFF REPORT - The director of Atlanta's Peachtree-Dekalb Airport (PDK) has laid out a plan to both add hangars and revenue to the airport, while simultaneously limiting future controversial growth options. The Atlanta Journal Constitution is reporting the plan, which would allow the airport to house an additional 63 planes, would use only remaining possible location for a new terminal that could allow commercial passenger traffic. The possibility of future commercial traffic has been met by protest from local residents who fear the effects of additional noise, traffic, and pollution. Click the link below for more information on this issue from the AJC

Project may ease tensions at PDK | ajc.com

Atlanta: Chinese Telecom Giant ZTE Opens New Atlanta Office

STAFF REPORT - The American division of Chinese telecom ZTE Corp. has recently opened an office in Atlanta. The new office of Dallas-based ZTE USA is strategically located to serve local clients, primarily AT&T Mobility. Click the link below for the full article fomr GlobalAtlanta.com

Chinese Telecom Giant Opens New Atlanta Office

Southern Nuclear CEO Retiring

STAFF REPORT - Southern Nuclear, the division of Southern Company responsible for the bulk of the company's nuclear activities in Georgia, has announced that its CEO James Miller will retire this year. Click the link below to read the full article from the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Southern Nuclear to get new chief | ajc.com

Atlanta: Roark Capital Announces Acquisitions of Arby's, Corner Bakery and Il Fornaio

The Atlanta Business Report: Roark Capital Announces Acquisitions of Arby's, Corner Bakery and Il Fornaio: "STAFF REPORT - Atlanta-based investment firm Roark Capital Group has announced the pending acquisitions of restaurant chains Arby's, Cor..."

Atlanta: Southern Company Announces World's Largest Power P...

The Atlanta Business Report: Southern Company Announces World's Largest Power P...: "PRESS RELEASE - Southern Company announced today that its 25-megawatt carbon capture and storage facility is operating and capturing carbon ..."

Valdosta: Dunkin' Donuts Confirms Plans to Open Location in Valdosta

The Valdosta Business Report: Dunkin' Donuts Confirms Plans to Open Location in ...: "VBR STAFF REPORT - Avid VBR readers will remember that we predicted in a March article that there is a good chance Dunkin' Donuts has plans..."

Macon: Smok'n Pig to Open Location in Macon Mall

The Valdosta Business Report: Smok'n Pig to Open Location in Macon Mall: "Macon.com has reported that Smok'n Pig has signed a lease for a new location at the Macon Mall in Macon, GA. Pat O’Neal, owner of Valdosta-b..."

Georgia Joins 16 States Opposing NLRB Action Against Boeing in South Carolina

PRESS RELEASE - Attorney General Sam Olens announced today that Georgia has joined a bi-partisan, 16-state coalition in filing an amicus brief opposing the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) recent action attempting to block a business' expansion which would create new, non-unionized jobs in South Carolina, a right-to-work state.

Waterton Residential Expands Portfolio with Metro Atlanta Acquisition

PRESS RELEASE - Waterton Residential selects upscale luxury with its latest Property Venture XI multifamily acquisition of Parc Alpharetta, a well-located, class A, age-restricted rental community in Alpharetta, Georgia. Constructed in 2008, Parc Alpharetta is a four-story, two-building midrise structure containing 210 units consisting of 85 one-bedroom/one-bathroom, 26 one-bedroom/one and a half bathroom, 93 two-bedroom/two-bathroom, and six two-bedroom/two and a half bathroom townhome units.

Parc Alpharetta, Alpharetta's only active adult (55+) community, offers services and amenities today's active seniors find appealing including a fitness center with wellness salon, exercise classes, library and business center, shuttle services, planned social events, convenient walking paths and a beautifully landscaped courtyard with a meditation garden, luxury pool and deck, an upscale community room with a private catering/dining area, multi-purpose media room, conveniently located elevators, a gated parking deck and more.

Additionally, Parc Alpharetta's well-appointed apartment homes offer 18 different spacious floor plans, balconies or sunrooms, walk-in closets, 9-foot or 10-foot ceilings, designer details, black Whirlpool® appliances and in-unit washers and dryers. "The future trending within this niche demographic offers reason to be optimistic," said Max Peek, Vice President, acquisitions, Waterton Residential. "Parc Alpharetta represented a great opportunity to buy a newer construction asset in an affluent submarket with traditionally high barriers to entry."

Located west of Highway 400 off Westside Drive in Alpharetta, Georgia, residents of Parc Alpharetta have access to shopping and dining less than a mile from the property with North Point Mall (anchored by Sears, JC Penney, Dillard's, Macy's and over 180 specialty retailers). Alpharetta includes much of the North Fulton office corridor consisting of over 15.4 million square feet of primarily class A office space.

Originally developed by Wood Partners and Parc Communities, Parc Alpharetta was financed initially with low floater bonds issued by the City of Alpharetta to fund construction. Waterton intends to remarket and enhance the bonds. Parc Alpharetta which closed June 1 was acquired as part of Waterton Residential Property Venture XI, a $500 million discretionary multifamily investment venture and is the first age-restricted apartment community in Waterton's portfolio.

Cassidy Turley to Acquire Brokerage and Property Management Divisions of Carter

PRESS RELEASE - Cassidy Turley, a leading commercial real estate
services provider in the U.S., has announced its commitment to acquire
the brokerage and property management businesses of Carter, a national
leader in project development, commercial real estate services and
investments.  Based in Atlanta, Carter maintains full-service offices
in Atlanta and Tampa and various offices throughout the U.S.

"Cassidy Turley is delighted to announce our commitment to acquire the
brokerage and property management businesses from Carter," said Mark
Burkhart, Cassidy Turley CEO.  "Carter's thoughtful and client-driven
approach is consistent with ours and will provide our clients across
the country access to the best advice from an industry leading team in
this region.  The addition of Carter will allow us to offer our full
spectrum of services in two significant markets—Atlanta and Central
Florida."

An industry leader for over 50 years, Carter was founded in 1958 in
Atlanta as a brokerage and property management firm and evolved into a
full service real estate company – offering corporate services,
property management, investment sales and project management for
clients across the nation. Once the acquisition is completed, Carter's
Brokerage Services and Property and Facility Management groups will
operate as Cassidy Turley. Carter has completed transactions valued at
$4.6 billion in Atlanta and Tampa alone in the past five years and
manages 25 million square feet in 11 states on behalf of private,
institutional and corporate clients as well as for its real estate
funds.

Going forward, Carter will focus on continuing to grow its remaining
and successful development, project management, investments, asset
management and strategic consulting groups. Continuing to operate
these business units as "Carter," the company will be focused on
delivering value as an investor, developer, project manager,
consultant, and asset manager for its clients. Carter's Asset
Management division manages more than $2.5 billion of third-party and
Carter-owned assets, while its Program Development Services division
currently oversees projects across the country and is consistently
ranked as one of the top 5 commercial real estate development firms in
the nation.

"We are excited about moving forward in the process to join Cassidy
Turley.  This move will allow us to grow and strengthen our service
business by leveraging Cassidy Turley's leading capital markets,
leasing, property management and corporate services platforms" said
Bob Peterson, Chairman and CEO of Carter.  "With Cassidy Turley's
national platform and service approach, we can better serve our
clients with multi-market needs.  In addition, Cassidy Turley's scale
and reputation for workplace satisfaction will enable us to offer our
professionals additional growth opportunities and a culture that
complements Carter's."

"This acquisition will allow reciprocal sharing of best practices
between the two firms. We welcome Carter's key leaders, including Bob
Peterson, Chairman and CEO, Scott Taylor, President, Holly Hughes,
Executive Vice president and Mike Shelly, Executive Vice President, to
our team. We see joining forces as a win-win for Carter, Cassidy
Turley, and most importantly, our clients," added Mr. Burkhart.

Birch Communications Secures Major Finance Package

PRESS RELEASE - Birch Communications, a leading IP-based telecommunications and managed services provider to small- and medium-sized businesses, is pleased to announce that it has secured a $77.5 million finance package consisting of a senior term loan, a senior revolving credit facility, a tranche of subordinated debt, and a provision for up to a $7.5 million leasing facility. Birch will use this new financing to repay outstanding indebtedness, fund future acquisitions, fund network build-out and for general corporate purposes.

Welcome to the Georgia Business Report!

Welcome to The Georgia Business Report! This is a new venture aimed at providing readers with local business news and objective information from all over the state of Georgia. We are currently set up as a blog to gauge interest and build a reader base before launching a real website sometime in the future.