Henry County to consider development agreement for Jodeco Road conference center

Map of proposed conference center at Everly Henry
The proposed conference center would be located within the Everly Henry development on Jodeco Road. (Henry County photo)

The board of commissioners voted 4-2 (Chair Wood and Commissioner Wilson opposed) to approve the development agreement. Stockbridge officials have indicated they will not sign off on the de-annexation making the proposal a non-starter.

The Henry County Board of Commissioners will consider a contingent development agreement during its regular meeting on Tuesday, January 22, at 6:30 pm regarding a proposed arena / conference center to be located on Jodeco Road. The county will consider accepting donated land to build the venue, in exchange for $5 million dollars in SPLOST funding to build internal roadways for the Everly Henry development.

The convention center was included within countywide recommendations for the upcoming SPLOST V program. County staff recommended $20 million dollars for the facility and the committee voted 4-1 to adopt that recommendation. A condition was added that a feasibility study should first be completed on the proposed project. The BOC will decide the final project list in summer 2019.

There has been no mention of the proposed development agreement to the committee, and when asked where the venue might be built, staff have previously stated the location was unknown pending a feasibility study.

The proposed development agreement includes the following terms:

The land owner, the estate of Guey L. Chen, will donate the land depicted as “Arena/Conference Center Site” on the site plan.

The county will, at such time as it has funding available, develop the Arena/Conference Center Site into a regional Arena and Conference Center with appropriate amenities.

The land owner will donate to the county and to GDOT, as necessary, such right of way as is reasonably necessary to develop the property in accordance with the site plan.

The county will, subject to the availability of funding, contribute up to $5 million in county SPLOST funds towards the construction of roads on the property.

The land owner shall commence development of the property, including the installation of roads, utilities and other infrastructure necessary to serve the Conference Center site.

The county’s obligations hereunder, and under any further development agreement with respect to the property shall be contingent upon the following:

  • Because county SPLOST funds will be utilized to construct and improve roads on the property, de-annexation of the property from the City of Stockbridge;
  • Suitable and proper re-zoning of the property to permit the uses set forth on the site plan;
  • The availability of funding available to the county for any of its obligations hereunder (the availability of funding will be determined by the county in the exercise of its sole discretion); and
  • Confirmation of the status of title to the property and the Conference Center site.

The full agreement may be viewed on the county website.

The Everly Henry development, formerly known as Jodeco Atlanta South, was the subject of much dialogue when first proposed in 2015. Henry County and Stockbridge went to court over the proposed development before the property was eventually annexed into the city.

Stockbridge agreed to contribute $3 million dollars in city SPLOST funds towards internal roadways, but amended that agreement in October 2017 to omit the dollars over uncertainties about the proposed city of Eagles Landing. It appears the land owner is now prepared to de-annex from the city should the county be willing to support the development.

About Clayton 1738 Articles
Clayton Carte is the founder and owner of The Henry Reporter. He founded the site in 2017 to highlight transportation projects. Over time, he began covering other topics like new development so residents can best know what’s happening in our community.

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