The Greater Hall Chamber Economic Development Council (EDC) reports 2025 year-end results of ten new and expanding developments which will add 691 new jobs and $186.5 million in new capital investment to Gainesville-Hall County. Since January 1, 2020, a total of 76 new capital investments have been announced with more than 4,712 new jobs and $2.0 billion in new capital investment. The fundamental economic drivers to the local economy indicate that 2026 will feature better than average economic performance for Gainesville-Hall County when compared to other metro areas in Georgia and the nation.
Georgia has once again earned the #1 ranking for its business environment for an astonishing twelfth consecutive year, with Gainesville-Hall County being the Top Job producing Metropolitan Area in the State. In 2025, the Milken Institute named the Gainesville-Hall County Metro Area as the 2025 Top Small Metro Area in Georgia and #1 in the Nation for Best Performing Small Metros. Forbes magazine has also rated Gainesville-Hall County as one of the “Best Small Places for Business & Careers” for the last ten years. Most recently, Gainesville-Hall County was named by Business Facilities as the #1 Small Metro in the Nation for Best Business Climate. Since 2015, the Chamber’s economic development program has assisted 181 new and expanding businesses, which have announced 10,005 jobs and $3.18 billion in new capital investment.
Many of the jobs and capital investment announced during 2025are a direct result of the Chamber’s cornerstone effort to supportexisting business and industry. Existing industry expansions announced during the year include expansions at King’s Hawaiian, Bend Bioscience, and Lawson Air Conditioning & Plumbing. Investments in new automation technologies and localizing the supply chain continue to be a trend for existing industry investments.
New corporate facilities announced in 2025 included Koon Chun Sauce Factory (China), ESD Work America (Korea), R+L Carriers (US), Roquet North America (Spain), Therapak Inc. dba Resonant Clinical Solutions (US) SILENT-US, Inc. (Czech), and SOPO US, Inc. (Czech). The new and expanded facility locations represent 862,609 square feet of new advanced manufacturing and US headquarters locations. Construction of the new locations began in 2025 and will continue into 2026. Additionally, many expansions announced in 2024 were under construction in 2025, including Caldwell Electrical Contractors, Geveko Markings, Ranger Manufacturing, VDL Industries, Mimaki USA, ETI Solid State Lighting, and Auto Metal Direct. All of these projects have either recently started operations or are on a timeline to complete construction and begin operations in the year ahead.
In early 2024, the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) issued a notice to proceed to its General Contractor, Carroll Daniel Construction and Simpson Trucking & Grading, to construct the new Blue Ridge Connector (BRC). The new inland port terminal, located north of Gainesville on Highway 365, will diversify the supply chain for container shipments between Northeast Georgia and global markets via a new rail connection to the Port of Savannah. Local contractors and subcontractors played a leading role in the BRC’s $127 million construction throughout 2025, adding to the economic impact in the Gainesville-Hall County business community. Adding about 20 direct jobs at the inland port, the BRC is also estimated to indirectly create 63,000 jobs in the Northeast Georgia region, with 9,682 of those jobs in Hall County. Surrounding road and infrastructure improvements, including the realignments of White Sulphur Road and Cagle Road, have been completed, with other road improvement projects in the pipeline to alleviate traffic and increase road safety. GPA has confirmed that the construction of the BRC is on schedule and will begin operations in Spring 2026. The 2026 Logistics Forum on February 25th will feature a discussion with the Georgia Ports Authority on the Blue Ridge Connector (BRC),. Click here for more information and event registration.
International Investments were heavily featured in Gainesville-Hall County’s recent expansions, including, Koon Chun Sauce Factory (China), ESD Work America (Korea), Roquet North America (Spain), SILENT-US, Inc. (Czech), and SOPO US, Inc. (Czech). Hall County is home to more than sixty-five internationally owned advanced manufacturing locations. Many of those locations also serve as a US or North American headquarters for the business. Japan and Germany are the top investor nations for employment and number of facilities. Georgia’s largest Japanese owned manufacturing headquarters is Kubota Manufacturing of America with 3,500 employed in the company’s manufacturing, research and development roles in the company’s six Hall County locations.
Major commercial developments that opened in 2025 include: the new five-story office Bradford Street building developed by Capstone Property Group, LLC, featuring the upscale steakhouse CHR Steak on the first floor, Interactive Neighborhood for Kids (INK) development in Oakwood, The Crest at Oakwood, Prose Gainesville Apartments, Livano Limestone Springs Apartments, and Additional downtown developments will be completed in 2025, including Downtown Flowery Branch investments. Branch Properties also announced this year their plan for redeveloping Gainesville’s 49-acre Lakeshore Mall site into a dynamic mixed-use destination, expected to break ground in late 2026.
The new year will begin with approximately 2 million square feet of new industrial speculative building developments in Gainesville, Oakwood, Flowery Branch and Buford available for occupancy in 2025. The region’s largest industrial developers are actively building and leasing new space in Hall County, including Pattillo Industrial Real Estate, Logistics Property Company, Crow Holdings, Adams Properties, Hughes Commercial Real Estate, and Presco Properties. New industrial investments underway in Hall County will total more than $200 million in real property improvements. Many local firms are employed in the construction of these new industrial developments, and business activity for these firms is forecasted to remain strong well into the new year. The new industrial space will offer opportunities for new and expanding businesses to grow, add jobs, make new investments, and add to bottom-line business growth.
“The Gainesville-Hall County Metro Area’s success is a reflection of the commitment from business and elected leaders to work together with real purpose to make an impact,” said Tim McDonald, President of Lanier Technical College and 2025-26 Chair of the Chamber. “Through the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce, community leadership work together on infrastructure, planning and investment to support business growth and economic development.”
In 2025, infrastructure development on Highway 365, the Athens Highway corridor and the new 1,300-acre Gainesville 85 Business Park will be important to developing a future place to grow for expanding existing industries and new businesses. Recently, the Phase III section of road in the business park opened, creating a new intersection of James Simpson Blvd and Athens Hwy/US 129 for easier ingress and egress in the park. Planned infrastructure investments in 2025 include major investments in roads, water, sewer, gas, and electric distribution, expanding broadband access and investments in Hall County and Gainesville City Schools.
