Continuing to grow: the 2023 economic development outlook

Taylor Lane, The News Courier, Athens, Ala.
·2 min read

Jan. 3—The Limestone County Economic Development Association anticipates continued growth in Athens-Limestone in the new year.

In 2022, Limestone County experienced $80 million in capital investment, the creation of approximately 200 industrial jobs, and 200 Buc-ee's jobs.

"We're going to continue to grow, I expect us to still be the fastest growing county in the state," Limestone County Economic Development Association President/CEO Bethany Shockney said.

Shockney anticipates continued migration to the area due to Athens-Limestone's placement in the Huntsville Metro.

"Because of the latest accolade that Huntsville got — the Huntsville Metro — for the best place to live in the country; we are part of Huntsville Metro, therefore, Limestone County is the best place to live in the country, so we're excited about that. We know people are going to continue to migrate in from out-of-state as well as in-state; people are moving to this area," Shockney said.

With this growth, there will be an increased demand on the Athens-Limestone utility infrastructure.

"All of our utilities are actively engaged in looking at what that growth is needed, so that they can hopefully plan ahead," Shockney said.

Shockney expects a master plan to ensure there isn't a duplication of effort between utility municipalities. She stressed the importance of each of the municipalities collaborating and coordinating efforts together.

"So far, it's going quite well," she said.

According to Shockney, the new year will bring continued interest in industrial expansion, as it has in years past.

"For us for industrial expansion, it has continued to grow. It has continued to have site visits, we've continued to have inquiries on our area," Shockney explained.

She went on to explain, "I think it's very important for us to be diverse, and looking for other opportunities that are even outside of automotive. When we look for other areas outside of automotive to be located here, it helps automotive because it doesn't saturate that particular skill set."

"We are collectively working together, and we have something for just about everybody," she said.

LCEDA and the Athens-Limestone Chamber of Commerce awarded $15,000 in scholarships to Limestone County residents in advanced manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, and construction in the 2022 year. 2023 applications will open in the spring.

The organization also hosted its inaugural bilingual job fair and plans to host another in 2023, and it will continue its career partnerships with AIDT, Alabama Career Centers, and NorthAlabama Works.