Our opinion
Winter Storm Izzy gave us a taste of what living up north is like, and for some, it was a very cold lesson.
For those who lost power for a day or even longer, options are limited to find heat and food if you do not happen to have a reliable generator. Like many products, generators have been harder to come by during the pandemic, leaving some with few options to stay warm while crews work across the county to restore the electricity.
Even if you had thoughts of leaving your home for temporary quarters as the temperature drops, you probably discovered that is not a great option for those living in Habersham County.
Around a year ago, governmental bodies and those interested in developing Habersham County for the future all agreed that offering tax incentives and abatements to developers trying to build a new hotel was a good idea.
When you go to Hotels.com now and punch in Cornelia’s ZIP code, you get almost exclusively listings from somewhere else. A large portion of those search results come from Helen, where, if you can find a vacancy, you almost certainly will pay a lot more for it.
We need that new hotel badly in Habersham County, and not just for occasional weather emergencies like this one. Our economic growth and continued development depend on it.
The hotel originally proposed for Cornelia would include a conference center and be a major name brand facility designed to bring corporate gatherings of folks who will not be afraid to spend money at our local businesses. It also would provide a place for folks to stay when they come to town to enjoy our natural recreational amenities, sporting events and graduations.
Such a facility would enhance Cornelia’s appeal, give more visitors a place to stay when they come, and give visitors a non-Helen option that offers better access to the highway (and our own local attractions).
Partnership Habersham Executive Director Charlie Fiveash said Monday that this hotel project is moving forward with the same developer and has plenty of community support. The new investors have received letters of support from industries such as Scovill and Fieldale, along with Piedmont University, Habersham County Schools and the Economic Development Commission.
Fiveash said an apartment investor had such a positive experience in Cornelia that the investor was willing to invest in a “food group” – alongside the new hotel – because he had such confidence in Dee Anderson, the mayor, and the City of Cornelia, that he is willing to reinvest here.
This is welcome news, as we need this new hotel for all these reasons and more. A hotel here will also improve our overall standing as a thriving community.