Regional hospital next data center site? Pop-up Chick-fil-A. Food truck's fried ribs.
Rome's 12th liquor store now open with another due soon. Rants & Raves: 'Gas Guy' fueled the hopes of others; whatever happened to 'good trouble'?
On today’s newsletter:
Is West Rome ready for a data center at former regional hospital site? Some believe it is on the way.
Dining: Chick-fil-A brings new meaning to “pop up” restaurant sites. Also: Add these to your must-have list — fried ribs and Georgia Peach salad.
Business Ink: Academy targeting Sept. 15 opening in Rome? The latest liquor store opens in East Rome.
Rants & Raves: We’ll never met another person as dedicated as Leon Justice . . . National Democrats have forgotten about sticks, stones and “words will never hurt me.”
Podcast test: The next one will have more of our old radio format in addition to some of what you read below.
Latest Rx for hospital site: Data center?
Consider this a new rumor about the former Northwest Georgia regional hospital site or perhaps better classified as “premature speculation.”
The reliable tips we’ve received involve talk of another data center — this would be Rome/Floyd County’s fourth — targeting what the development authority now calls the Battey Business Center.
We’ve seen nothing on paper as yet — and perhaps with good reason. We’ve likewise touched all the bases that would be involved, and the standard response has been “I’ve heard something like that.” One contact said the head’s up came from a so-so source outside the county.
Regardless, that word is spreading quietly about the West Rome site.
And with the recent rezoning to heavy industrial, the Battey site has the basics needed to be an inner-city data center as opposed to other local proposals mostly in more rural areas.
But making this one of more interest is that it borders on residential communities including the always-active neighbors of Summerville Park. Plus, just outside the gates on Division Street, the site opens to Rome’s Medical Mile — including the expanding AdventHealth Redmond and the Harbin Clinic cluster off Redmond Road.
Plus, it is in Rome so the City Commission would be involved. Three commission seats are on the November ballot which makes it a campaign issue as well.
The development authority purchased the 132.5-acre campus for $2.25 million in late 2021. It included 195 buildings mostly idled since the hospital was closed in 2011.
Several acres have been sought for expansion by local industries but the bulk of it remains under development authority control.
Federal funds are helping power the demolition and clean-up of the site, says Heather Seckman of the development authority, slowed earlier this year amid government cutbacks. Work is continuing, she says, estimating it will be at least another 10 months before the property will be ready for marketing.
Or will that be necessary?
Its use as a data center wouldn’t be a surprise as three such projects already are proposed for Rome/Floyd County: the $1 billion Microsoft development in West Rome, another near Coosa Middle School; and a third in the Shannon area.
There’s been some opposition to the centers, citing power gulps and other resources, but so far, all three are moving forward with local government blessings.
And its not just Rome. Several projects are under way or proposed for Bartow County and the state — especially Atlanta/North Georgia — are seeing interest surge in recent years.
A recent summary from the Capital Beat News Service Bureau showed:
“Estimates of the number of data centers that have set up shop in Georgia vary. A list compiled by Science for Georgia shows 97 data centers operating in the Peach State, with 27 more in the planning stages.
“Dallas-based DatacenterHawk, which conducts research for the industry, reports 72 data centers operating in Georgia with 14 more under construction.”
For more: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has been publishing a very detailed look at Georgia’s data center boom and its possible impacts, pro and con.
Dining
Pop-up Chick-fil-A: Some restaurants operate food trucks. The Cedartown location of Chick-fil-A has something else that’s getting a few looks — the AirHub. There have been several stops in Cave Spring of late as well as at Peek Park in Cedartown for the 22nd Annual Wheelchair Race. You can see it every Monday in July from 7 until 9:45 a.m. in downtown Cave Spring. For more.
Delivery by boat: Chick-fil-A also has been in videos and photos showcasing delivery boats to floating Crab Island customers near Destin. Just don’t call it “chicken of the sea (or yjr Gulf).”
Fried ribs? Why not: Salt & Pepper Cafe is a popular spot in Acworth and the owners recently added a food truck. We tried it at The Outpost from Drowned Valley Brewing on Euharlee Creek over the holiday.
The compact but flavorful menu featured the best food truck meal we've had to date (that includes lobster rolls, craft pizza, Phillies, Asian, etc.) Fried ribs.
We dined on five meaty ribs, lightly breaded and fried, with a side of homemade potato salad. We've added Salt & Pepper mobile to our stalking list as we'd do this again tomorrow. Cost: $18.
Just peachy: One more to add to the repeat list — the new Georgia Peach salad from Doug’s Deli Downtown. Included: “Spring mix, leaf lettuce, peaches, pistachios, sunflower seeds and goat cheese w with citrus vinaigrette. We’re smitten with the harvest salad but this is one we’d try again — and again.
Business Ink
Sept. 15 opening for Academy Sports? That’s what the corporate website is showing again today as shared by a reader of one of last week’s newsletters. That’s doable with two months to go.
Rome’s 12th liquor store, Mega Beverage, opens at East Bend: The one-time Fazoli’s Italian restaurant that was remodeled and expanded is now open for business. And if you’re counting, Rome now has 12 licensed and operating liquor stores (including Mega) with one more coming to the small strip center nearing completion on Braves Boulevard between the car wash and Lumina.
Rants & Raves
Rave to the life of Leon Justice: We met Leon as he’d call our former radio show most Mondays. Leon was working at the East Rome Walmart and would deliver the latest gas prices in his slow, southern drawl, adding a comment or two. In later years, he was our own Capt. Herb, tracking wrecks for Hometown Headlines. But his real devotion — aside from his bride of 25 years, Merlene — was helping those in need in the name of the Lord. The only publicity he ever sought was in promoting the location of food giveaways and maybe some church services. Our last conversation, again by phone, was June 27 as he was anxious to share a supply of donated household equipment. Even in his final hours, Leon was helping others. A man of the people, Leon was buried wearing one of his familiar baseball caps.
Rant to senior Democrats: With all the “changes” from the Trump administration since Jan. 20, the opposing party couldn’t ask for better material. But in response, it has been a war of words and memes — floods of “shocked” social media posts, “record-length” speeches in Congress. All with no impact. In June, we saw thousands of people demanding change and yet Democrats are mostly watching, not leading. Whatever happened to “good trouble?”
Podcast: This is a test
Listen for more commentary in the next one: We continue to experiment with a podcast version our of newsletters with something more definitive due late fall.
We’ll have another test, based loosely on today’s newsletter but with more commentary, available within the next 24 hours. You’ll get much of the same information but also more of what you liked from our old radio show.
Your feedback is appreciated at johndruckenmiller@comcast.net