Business View Civil and Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 7

79 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 7 AUGUSTA , GEORGI A Masters is what the world recognizes about Augusta and it is one of our biggest attractions, but it is one of many. “Augusta is the single greatest economic opportunity for our state. The city is laid out as well as, or better than, just about any city in the southeastern U.S. and our ease of travel is unrivalled. In three hours, you can get to just about any major metropolitan city in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, along with the Atlanta airport – the busiest in the U.S. Fort Gordon is within our city limits, and the Savannah River, the greatest economic driver in our state, flows right through our borders. “What makes Augusta special is its rich and diverse history. It is the second oldest city in our union – the first settlement is Savannah and the second one, a short while later, was Augusta. This represents the true cradle of America. Hundreds of years later Augusta remains a place of great opportunity and a catalyst for growth and change in the south.” BVM: How is the city evolving in the midst of that growth? Donald: “Our current population is approximately 200,000; we’re the second largest municipality in the state. The Augusta metropolitan region is one of the fastest growing in Georgia. That status has required us to up our game to ensure competitiveness when making decisions on city services, quality of life outlets, and tourist attractions. “Augusta is also the world cybersecurity capital. The Georgia Cyber Center here in Augusta has increased our need for a strong, educated, and productive workforce. Cybersecurity and IT and other unique supporting fields are now used to mitigate activities like the Colonial Pipeline hack, and Augusta is now front and center in those mitigation efforts. Odie Donald II , Augusta City Administrator