Gov. Ivey attends groundbreaking of new logistics park in Macon County, June 22

On Wednesday, June 22nd, Governor Kay Ivey joined leaders of Farpoint Development and the Macon County Economic Development Authority to celebrate the beginning of the Regional East Alabama Logistics (REAL) Park, a project that aims to supercharge economic development in the Tuskegee region.

Keep reading to learn more.

About the Regional East Alabama Logistics Park

Located just south of Exit 42 on I-85—about 1.5 miles north of Tuskegee in Macon County—the REAL Park is an upcoming industrial park that could house as many as 13 structures when the three-phase project is complete in the next seven to ten years.

According to a press release from the developers, investment in the first phase of the projects totals roughly $20M. The project is supported by the Macon County Economic Development Authority (MCEDA) and Opportunity Alabama.

“I’m tremendously excited by the transformational potential that the Regional East Alabama Logistics Park represents for rural Macon County, and the elevating opportunities it can create for the hard-working citizens of the Tuskegee area. This project is a game-changer, and I look forward to seeing the impact the park will have as it grows over the years.”

Governor Kay Ivey

Wednesday’s groundbreaking ceremony marks the beginning of construction for the park’s first structure, an expandable 160,000-square-foot spec building. Farpoint Development is working with Birmingham-based Doster Construction on the building, which is expect to open in early 2023 and offer the only “Class A” warehouse & manufacturing space available in a 40-mile radius.

“A Powerful Economic Engine for the larger east Alabama region”

According to the press release, a University of Alabama Center for Business and Economic Research projects that the REAL Park could attract $386M in new economic capital investment and add over 1,000 new direction jobs as well as 863 indirect jobs in the region.

“We think REAL Park can become a powerful economic engine for the larger east Alabama region, sparking large-scale job creation and generating broad opportunities that lift communities throughout the area. At the same time, the park will become a hub for global commerce, building on the commercial gateway that is the Port of Mobile to benefit the entire state of Alabama.”

Justin Patwin, Managing Director, Farpoint Development

According to Greg Canfield, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, REAL Park could be attractive to companies in the automotive, aerospace, manufacturing and forest product industries.

“As its footprint expands, REAL Park can put Macon County in the driver’s seat to capitalize on the increasingly robust levels of economic activity along the I-85 corridor. The logistics park will position the area for opportunities that can add new dimensions to the county’s economy.”

Greg Canfield, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce

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