Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce

Overview

Corporations do not make decisions, their people do.

Fact: We want you to be successful!
Fast: We get to the bottom-line and we will compete!
Flexible: What is important to you is important to us!
Fun: The joy in our work shows!

Community/Labor Force Overview
Prattville, Alabama is the county seat of Autauga County, population 51,326 with an estimated labor force of 24,908. The community sits within the Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical Area, which spans four counties with a combined labor force of about 173,726. Over the last five years, Prattville has added over four hundred motel rooms and issued one hundred and fifty four commercial business permits. Our crime rate remains very low and consumer surveys point to an overall feeling of neighborhood and community safety.

An April 1999 study of the area's work force by The Pathfinders concludes that about 34,000 workers are underemployed. That means they would take a better job if the opportunity presented itself. About 25 percent of the underemployed have some college experience and 18 percent have a college degree. More than 25 percent commute 20 miles or farther to work.

Commuting patterns show that more than half the labor force of Autauga County leaves the county on a daily basis, with a majority going to neighboring Montgomery County for jobs.

Conclusion: "If this workforce assessment were conducted for a corporate client considering the Montgomery/Central Alabama area among other candidates as a location, The Pathfinders would assure the client that there is a balanced pool of labor which has the necessary skills and experience and is competitively priced."

Telecommunications Infrastructure
AT&T has given assurance that the proposed sites are served by the latest in digital telecommunications. At the heart of the communications infrastructure is the latest technology based on the Lucent Technologies 5ESS switching platform, fully capable of providing a variety of digital services including digital trunking, T-1, and ISDN capabilities. Also, AT&T has fiber optics running near the sites. An Economic Development Incentive Plan is also available from AT&T.

Knology currently serves over 350 commercial / retail customers in the Prattville area with one of the most sophisticated and technologically advanced fiber optic infrastructures available. With its Passive Optical Network (PON) technology, data speeds exceeding 100 Mbps can be delivered using advanced, Gigabit IP/Ethernet bandwidth services. Ethernet connectivity is delivered over fiber, eliminating the use of legacy copper and old telephone central office equipment that's designed for voice services and not data networks. The routing/switching technology offers native IP/Ethernet classification with advanced admission control, bandwidth guarantees, traffic shaping and network resource management that extend beyond traditional Ethernet LAN solutions in business offices. Knology has been offering Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service to its business customers since 2004 with the introduction of its Matrix product, which replaces aging, limited functionality and high-maintenance PBX products with an IP Centrex voice and data service. Knology's network is reliable and scalable, allowing for increased capacity to meet consumer demands and allows for the introduction of new communications services.

Advantages of Prattville
Prattville is the fifth fastest growing city in the state. The population of Autauga County increased 27.6 percent (City of Prattville, 24.1 percent growth) between 1990 and 2000.

Prattville is a pro-business community and according to the Alabama Administrative Office of Courts, Prattville had zero jury verdicts in compensatory or punitive damage cases in 2000.

Annual property taxes on an $80,000 home are about $183 and $659 for a $250,000 home.

Located about 12 miles north of Montgomery in Prattville, Capitol Hill is the eighth and newest addition to the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, the largest golf course construction project in the world and featuring 378 holes. Capitol Hill is home to three 18-hole championship courses, with plans for a fourth course to be added in the future.

A $12.5 million dollar conference center, The Marriott Legends Conference Center, features a 120-seat auditorium/banquet room, state-of-the-art conference facilities, and lodging to include over 100 rooms, and two eight-room luxury villas.

The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail was funded by the Retirement Systems of Alabama and is the brainchild of Dr. David G. Bronner, CEO of the Retirement Systems. Dr. Bronner was looking for ways to invest the state's pension fund and benefit Alabama's image, economy, and quality of life for its citizens. Six million dollars worth of land had to be purchased and given to RSA in order to make the golf course a reality. Prattville leaders began working with neighboring governments to enabled regional funding for this project. Regionalism and a spirit of cooperation were birthed for our area.

Shopping venues and restaurants are becoming commonplace to our area because of the growth trends.

Sites
The proposed sites are all located in industrial parks with utility infrastructure. Due to good soils in the area site preparation costs will be minimal. The South Industrial Park is less than three miles from Interstate 65 and accessible from U.S. Highway 82 and County Road 4. The West Industrial Park is located on U.S. Highway 82 and County Road 4. The Interstate Business Park is located adjacent to Interstate 65 and has Interstate 65 visibility. Interstate Business Park is accessible from U.S. Highway 31. The Legends Office Park is located in less than a half mile from Interstate 65 and adjacent to the Capitol Hill Golf Course.

Taxes and Incentives
Companies doing business in Prattville already enjoy some of the lowest business taxes in the nation. Tax incentives, abatements, credits and grants will be investigated and offered if applicable.

For information on tax incentives for industry, visit www.ador.state.al.us/Taxincentives/index.html

The Intangibles
Sometimes it is hard to place a number on something that is true and which will affect a company's bottom line. The fact is your company is wanted. The company would be a welcomed neighbor in Prattville and a valued addition to the community. We will commit our one-stop support team and a site prepared according to your timeline.