Project Camellia
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The historic Mars Theatre in downtown Springfield, Georgia.

Community Voices

Community perspectives

Hear from local and state leaders about the project’s potential, the questions that still need to be addressed, and what responsible development should deliver for Effingham County and Southeast Georgia.

Susan Kraut.
Business community

Susan Kraut

President & CEO, Effingham County Chamber of Commerce

Project Camellia is exactly the kind of investment our community needs. Its development can create real opportunities for local contractors, suppliers, workers, and small businesses, helping more of the project’s economic benefits stay right here in Effingham County. Over the long term, it can also help diversify our county’s revenue base, support essential services and infrastructure, and reduce pressure on homeowners and businesses as our community continues to grow. That is why I believe this project is such an important opportunity for Effingham County.
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Dr. Yancy Ford.
Education and opportunity

Dr. Yancy Ford

Effingham County School District Superintendent

Our community expects local leaders to work together to balance growth and relieve the tax burden on homeowners. After personally visiting several data centers to ensure this project would be a net-positive partner, I am confident OpenAI is the right fit for Effingham. This partnership will successfully lower property taxes for residents while investing in teacher and staff resources and salaries and expanding opportunities for our students. We appreciate the ECIDA and the Effingham County Board of Commissioners inviting the school district to collaborate on this initiative and are grateful that they value our insight.
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Effingham County Commissioner Jamie DeLoach.
Local leadership

Jamie DeLoach

Effingham County Commissioner

As County Commissioner, one of my most important responsibilities is making sure our community grows the right way. That’s exactly how we approached Project Camellia. We asked the tough questions about water, electricity, and the impact on our community because our residents deserve answers. What we found is a project that uses minimal water, won’t increase energy costs for county residents, will generate new tax revenue to support our schools, and create new opportunities for local businesses. Project Camellia meets the high standards our community expects, and I’m proud to support it.
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Effingham County Commissioner Roger Burdette.
Responsible growth

Roger Burdette

Effingham County Commissioner

From the beginning, I have maintained that a project of this magnitude must meet strict standards for environmental responsibility, public safety, and meaningful community return. After carefully evaluating the project, we found that it will use minimal water, will not increase energy costs for county residents, will create quality jobs, and will generate substantial new revenue for our schools and essential county services. As the county’s largest property taxpayer, it will reduce the tax burden, particularly for homestead residents. Because this site was previously approved for warehousing and heavy industrial development in the mid-2000s, the project will also significantly reduce the heavy truck traffic that would otherwise move through an area surrounded by neighborhoods. This is the kind of responsible investment and smart growth our community deserves, and I am proud to support the project.
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Brandt Herndon, ECIDA Chief Executive Officer.
Economic development

Brandt Herndon

ECIDA Chief Executive Officer

Economic development is about attracting companies that create lasting value for the community. This project represents a major private investment that will generate substantial new tax revenue, bring hundreds of high-paying jobs, and create new opportunities for local businesses, contractors, suppliers, and our future workforce. We support the County’s efforts to roll back taxes for residents, and we believe the revenue generated by this project can help advance that goal. Based on our focused analysis and close collaboration with the Effingham County School District and the Effingham County Board of Commissioners during initial feasibility discussions, we are confident this company will be an engaged community partner, a responsible steward of its investment, and an important contributor to Effingham County’s continued prosperity.
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