Film Studio Bids to be Opened Friday for December Opening

Thirteen bids will be opened Friday for the county's new film studio in Hiram.

This announcement was made by Chris Cochran, construction manager, at Wednesday morning's meeting of the Paulding County Industrial Building Authority (IBA). 

These bids will go to "all contractors on site" with plans to open the $5 million studio by the first of December, Cochran said.

Site work will continue for two more weeks by Dundee Construction at the Thompson Road site in the Hiram area.

The was "Joyful Noise" with Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton—along with Kris Kristofferson, Keke Palmer, Courtney B. Vance and Karen Peck—to be released in January. 

Toll Road Update 

Besides Paulding, the only county commitment so far for the proposed Western Commercial Connector is from Bartow County, said Blake Swafford, IBA executive director and director of the Paulding Northwest Atlanta Airport.

The toll road would divert truck traffic from the Ports of Savannah and Brunswick through western Georgia counties instead of through Atlanta to promote economic development, Swafford explained .

By 2019, the road would depart Interstate 75 in Spalding County and continue through Coweta, Carroll, Paulding and Bartow counties where it would reconnect with I-75, according to this plan devised by Swafford.

Swafford said "revised alignments" would be presented to Coweta County officials next week.

Griffin City Manager Kenny Smith would like to review "potential alignments" as well since a new airport will be built in Spalding probably by 2015 with the closure of its present airport, Swafford said.

Carroll County officials want to consider "different proposals"—either more easterly or reclassifying their section as "a conservation roadway, bordering the road with permanent conservation areas as a dividing line between urban growth and agricultural areas."

Swafford said Carroll County's "new concept" is "fairly complicated."

Dallas Mayor Boyd Austin said there has been "some misinformation among the public," regarding this project.

"It does not interfere with present projects. It does not push back any state road projects," he said of this "completely separate" private and multi-county partnership.

IBA Parcels for Sale

The IBA is seeking to sell several small parcels of land.

So far, there have been no takers, Swafford said.

These parcels, ranging from 1.5 to 8 acres, were acquired by the county from the state.

Austin explained further that the relocation of the state detention facility led to the county acquisitions.

Rail Spur Problems

Long-time plans to develop a rail spur with Norfolk Southern on Bill Carruth Parkway may have to be abandoned, hinted Swafford.

The area has "at least three springs—if not more" beneath a retention pond plus an abundance of rock, he said.

Mitigating the springheads and blasting the rocks both would be "extremely expensive," Swafford said. "Essentially, we're going to lose a lot of money."

Arcadis, the project's consultant, will present another concept plan maybe at next month's meeting, he added.

Water Tank Bidding

IBA members voted unanimously to add $2,900 to the project cost of a new water tank to open the process to public bidding. The total cost of the water tank near the airport will be $1.2 million.

Chamber Update

Paulding Chamber of Commerce President Carolyn Delamont said the county's Economic Development Organization has income of $63,994 and a new $40,000 commitment.

On Aug. 4, she said Louis E. Miller, aviation general manager of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, would be the guest speaker at the Paulding Chamber luncheon.

Then on Sept. 22, Todd Long, a top decision maker with GDOT as its planning director, will be speaking at a Chamber breakfast, Delamont said. 

The Chamber will hold a membership drive on Aug. 8-12, she noted.

Only Invite

On July 25-31, Swafford will represent Paulding Northwest Atlanta Airport as the only Georgia community invited to attend EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Swafford said, "I'm real excited about that."

More than 500,000 from 60 countries attend this annual one-week event—called "the world's greatest aviation celebration"—with 10,000 aircraft flying into this Wisconsin site. 

GED Class Moving?

Dallas Mayor Boyd Austin said he has learned that Chattahoochee Tech in Dallas has "run out of room" for the evening GED classes.

Plans for now by Chattahoochee Tech officials are to move these classes to their Marietta campus, he said.

However, that would mean 115 to 120 Paulding residents a year would be affected unless the county could offer another space to Chattahoochee Tech such as at the new county courthouse.