Economic development heavyweights gather in Albany for Georgia Quail Hunt

ALBANY – As hunters checked out their shotguns for a day of quail hunting, state officials made their case of the success that the annual Georgia Quail Hunt has had over the past nearly four decades.

The gathering at Wynfield Plantation here Wednesday, brought together economic prospects, developers, utility officials and other state and local leaders.

Gov. Brian Kemp was among three officials who addressed reporters, along with Georgia Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Chris Clark, and Pat Wilson, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

Despite projections of slowing economic growth and the odds of the state entering a recession this year being nearly 50-50, Wilson said that he is optimistic.

“I feel like this has been the most-predicted recession in history,” he said. “Everybody’s been talking about it for 10 years. The early returns we are seeing on the numbers so far is we are seeing new activity this year.

“What I think it comes down to is leadership. Companies can depend on success in Georgia for the next 50 years.”

Officials said that the success of the hunt can be seen in investment in the billions of dollars and thousands of jobs created.

“There is no better way to change a community, to change a life, than to give somebody a job,” Wilson said. 

The hunt is a way to expose company decision-makers to the quality of life in southwest Georgia, he said.

One success story mentioned was that of weapons manufacturer Taurus USA, which announced its relocation to Bainbridge in 2019 after participating in the hunt for some 10 years.

“He had no idea of moving out of Miami at that time,” Wilson said.

Today, some 80% of company’s employees live in Georgia, with the remaining 20% located mostly in the Tallahassee area, he said. That is a reversal from the early days of the move when 70% were living in north Florida.

The quail hunt “really is a different way” to engage with economic development officials, the governor said. 

“One of the (goals) was to showcase the quality of life in the state,” Kemp said.