Community Q&A: Why haven’t larger employers moved to Woodstock, and what can city leaders do to attract them?
On September 17, we held our Turn Up the Volume Woodstock Town Hall, where neighbors brought their toughest questions about traffic, housing, and the future of our city. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be answering those questions one by one here on the blog. This first one gets right to the heart of economic growth:
Q: Why haven’t larger employers moved to Woodstock, and what can city leaders do to attract them?
A:
Woodstock has seen incredible growth in the past two decades—our population has tripled since 2000, and we’re now larger than a third of all Georgia counties. But the jobs that came with that growth are mostly in retail, restaurants, healthcare, and small businesses. The question a lot of people ask is: why aren’t big-name employers setting up shop here?
The barriers are real:
Land and infrastructure limits. Much of Highway 92 and our other commercial corridors sit on land that’s either floodplain or chopped into small parcels, making it tough to assemble sites that a Fortune 500 company would want. Add to that heavy traffic and limited transit options, and it’s harder to convince a major employer that Woodstock can move their workforce efficiently.
Housing mismatch. Employers look for communities with a range of housing that workers can afford—from young professionals just starting out to middle-class families to senior employees. Woodstock’s housing stock has tilted heavily toward higher-cost homes, which makes it harder to support a large, diverse workforce.
Regional competition. We sit just 30 miles north of Atlanta. That’s a blessing and a curse. Proximity gives Woodstock access to talent and opportunity, but it also means we’re competing with places that have industrial parks ready to go, freeway access, or incentive packages already lined up.
What can leaders actually do?
Invest in smart infrastructure. The Highway 92 “Reimagining” plan is backed by a $176,000 ARC Livable Centers Initiative grant to improve development standards and public space. That work must stay tied to attracting real jobs, not just more strip malls.
Support attainable housing. Employers want their workers nearby. City leadership needs to stop dodging the housing affordability issue and use zoning, partnerships, and public pressure to make sure some percentage of new development is within reach for regular people.
Build on current efforts. Our Economic Development Department has focused on reversing the “out-commute pattern” by bringing more jobs into the city that align with Woodstock’s walkability and sustainability goals. That’s smart. The next step is making sure those jobs aren’t just boutique retail and hospitality, but employers who can anchor long-term career paths.
Leverage the county’s success. Cherokee County has already landed major employers like Inalfa Roof Systems, Pilgrim’s Pride, Chart Industries, Universal Alloy Corporation, and Piolax Corporation. More recently, global companies like Becker Robotics Equipment (North American HQ), Gravion USA (embossing rollers HQ), and Dumaplast (Belgian flooring and wall coverings) have chosen Cherokee for their U.S. operations. Northside Hospital Cherokee continues to expand as one of the region’s top healthcare employers. These wins prove the county has the workforce, infrastructure, and incentives to compete. Woodstock can position itself as the county’s creative hub—the place where employers who care about culture and quality of life want to locate.
Transparency and accountability. Big companies do site selection quietly, but residents deserve to know when their tax dollars are on the table. I’ll push for open conversations before incentives get offered, so we’re not blindsided by sweetheart deals made behind closed doors.
At the end of the day, the mayor doesn’t personally cut deals with corporations. What I can do is shine a light, ask tough questions, and keep the pressure on so that when employers do come knocking, the deal makes sense for the people of Woodstock—not just the developers.
