Description
During this such a detailed illustration about business expansion center services.
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Choosing the Right Location
The locaton of your business can have a serious impact on your success. Locaton
determines who will see your business, how easily they can ?nd it, and whether or not
they will even want to access it. Even manufacturing businesses, where customers
normally do not visit the site, ofen rely on locatons with major transportaton
arteries nearby. Because your business site may even become permanent, your
decision to select the best site may need to be just?ed to your major investors, lenders,
suppliers, and other business consttuents.
Allen, Kathleen R. Launching New Ventures : An Entrepreneurial Approach. 4th ed. Boston: Houghton Mi? in College Division, 2006.
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Allen, Kathleen R. Launching New Ventures : An Entrepreneurial Approach. 4th ed. Boston: Houghton Mi? in College Division, 2006.
Choosing a Retail Site
Competition and Character
Deciding on a locaton early on will allow you to gather more accurate and detailed informaton on the
competton and your market.
Some tps for deciding on the best locaton:
1. Drive or walk through the area to ?nd competng businesses. How big are they? How many are there?
2. Note how busy they are and at what tmes of day.
3. Are the compettors established in a shopping mall or shopping center? If so, look for clusters of
stores that are similar to your new retail venture and have low vacancy rates.
4. Look at stores near your potental site. Are they compatble? Ofen, a locaton near your competton
is bene?cial because it encourages your market to comparison shop.
5. What is the overall character of the area? Is it compatble with the character you want for your new
business?
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Choosing a Manufacturing Site
If you are startng a new manufacturing business, your choices for a locaton will
be more narrow than as for a new retail venture. In Rome and Floyd County,
there are several speci?c industrial parks and industrial sites available for
manufacturing. These sites are strategically located to provide the best access
in the county to utlites and major transportaton arteries. For more informaton
on prospectve manufacturing sites, the Director of Economic Development at
the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce can provide more details and
speci?catons. There are two development authorites that work closely with
the City of Rome, Floyd County, and the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce
to manage and promote existng industrial sites. These authorites include the
Rome-Floyd County Development Authority (RFCDA) and the Development
Authority of Floyd County.
Four Key Factors
As an entrepreneur seeking a manufacturing site, four factors will impact your
decision to locaton the most:
1. The Labor Pool
2. Access to Suppliers
3. Access to Transporation, and
4. Cost of Utilities
The Labor Pool
In establishing your new manufacturing business, be very careful to consider
the cost of labor and the availability of skilled workers. The “Workforce Issues”
secton of this guide contains more detailed informaton on ?nding an educated
workforce. Wages and workers compensaton laws will also drastcally a?ect
your botom line. For more informaton on labor laws, see the “Workforce
Issues” secton of this guide.
Access to Suppliers
Locatng within a reasonable distance from your major suppliers will create
several advantages for your new business. A close proximity will cut your
shipping tme and save on transportaton costs. The City of Rome is conveniently
located at the center of a geographic triangle composed of Atlanta, Birmingham,
and Chatanooga, making Rome a strategic locaton for manufacuters with
suppliers in these three cites. The Chamber can help you identfy potental
suppliers in Floyd County and can help you connect to other businesses for which
you may serve as a supplier.
Allen, Kathleen R. Launching New Ventures : An Entrepreneurial Approach. 4th ed. Boston: Houghton Mi? in College
Division, 2006.
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Access to Transportation
As a manufacturer, you will want to locate as close as possible to major transportaton
arteries , whether that be railway, highway, or airport. Minimizing the distance between
the plant and the modes of transportaton will lower your overall producton costs and
make you more pro?table. Rome and Floyd County have multple sites located in close
proximity to highways and the interstate. Several sites also have rail access. The Richard
B. Russell Regional Airport is located just north of town and features a 6,000-foot runway.
Cost of Utilities
Utlity rates will also vary depending on where you locate. If your new business will be
heavily dependent a few speci?c utlites such as gas, electricity, or coal, you will want to
research the cost of the utlites even more carefully. The Chamber’s Director of
Economic Development can provide speci?c informaton on the cost of utlites at each
industrial site. For more informaton, see the “Utlites and Telecom Services”
informaton within the “Choosing the Right Locaton” secton of this guide.
Allen, Kathleen R. Launching New Ventures : An Entrepreneurial Approach. 4th ed. Boston: Houghton Mi? in College Division, 2006.
Alternatives to Conventional Facilities
Temporary Tenant Agreements
To help maintain a steady cash ?ow, some landlords o?er to rent or lease their empty spaces for a
short period of tme. This type of relatonship works well for both the landlord and the tenant if certain
elements are in place. Keep in mind that temporary tenant agreements work best in areas with high
foot tra? c and signi?cant customer turnover. In general, a good temporary tenant ofen possesses
some of the following characteristcs to help draw customers:
1. Personalized Merchandise
2. Opportunities to Sample the Product
3. Products that can be Demonstrated
4. Products that can be Used for Entertainment the Customers
Mobile Locations
A less conventonal way to introduce a business, a mobile store such as a pushcart or kiosk ofen serves
as a beter ?t for new entrepreneurial ventures. A mobile locaton allows the company to expand while
keeping overhead costs relatvely low. These types of locatons are best suited for retail locatons like
malls or airports.
Allen, Kathleen R. Launching New Ventures : An Entrepreneurial Approach.
4th ed. Boston: Houghton Mi? in College Division, 2006.
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Shared Space
One creatve approach to securing the best locaton at
a reasonable price involved shared space agreements.
Ofen, a business start-up can ?nd suitable space within
the facilites of a larger company. On the other hand,
you may opt to sublet a porton of your own space to
another complimentary business.
Incubators
Similar to the purpose of an incubator for an infant,
a business incubator helps a new start-up business to
survive the ?rst few critcal years. An incubator provides
a controlled environment that increases the chances of
survival and growth as your business begins. There are
incubators in every region of the country. Most o?er
space at below-market rates along with shared resources
and services such as a receptonist or a conference
room. Afer the ?rst few years of the start-up phase, the
incubator then assists the new business in striking out
on its own.
Business Expansion Center
GNTC Business Expansion Center. Georgia Northwestern Technical College. 27 Jan. 2010. <www.gntc.edu>.
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Services Offered by the Business Expansion Center
The Business Expansion Center desires to provide entrepreneurs with a unique environment which enhances
their opportunity for success by providing low cost o? ce and manufacturing space, professional support
services, access to the resources of Georgia Northwestern Technical College, and access to the area’s other
resources through the fostering of entrepreneurial ideas from the early stage of company development untl
the graduaton stage of growth can be accomplished. The College’s commitment to this project will help start
and expand these businesses by focusing on entrepreneurial educaton, training, facility availability, and
management support.
The GNTC Business Expansion Center o?ers individualized space, ?exible leasing, access to postage machine,
fax machine, laser printer, copier, and small package shipping and receiving.
Mission Statement
The GNTC Business Expansion Center exists to provide entrepreneurs
of new and expanding businesses with an environment conducive to
the start-up or expanding company’s chances for success by providing
low cost o? ce and developmental space, professional and support
services, and access to the College’s and region’s resources. GNTC
Business Expansion Center fosters entrepreneurial ideas for
manufacturing, informaton technology, and service industries from the
earliest stage of development untl the graduaton stage of growth in
the Floyd, Gordon, and Polk County area.
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Business Expansion Center Services
History
In June of 2001, Georgia Northwestern Technical College made a commitment to increase its very prominent
role in the community’s economic development e?orts by the establishment of a Business Expansion Center.
Having established a well known and successful economic development initatve, including Quick Start and
Workforce Development, the creaton of the Business Expansion Center was a natural additon.
This Expansion Center was created in order to provide for new industries and new jobs by encouraging the
development of companies in its three-county service area (Floyd, Gordon, and Polk). The acquisiton of a
38,500 square foot building for use in providing tenant space was accomplished in order to successfully atract
manufacturing, service, and informaton technology start-ups as well as those involved in biomedical and
biotechnical areas.
The concept of the Expansion Center was useful in that it provided the economic development tools necessary
to accelerate the growth and success of entrepreneurial companies through an array of business support
services and resources. In that a business incubator’s main goal is to produce successful ?rms that will leave
the program ?nancially viable and freestanding, the idea of a facility where rotaton in and out of these ?rms
was atractve. These graduates would create jobs, revitalize neighborhoods, strengthen local and regional
economies, and commercialize critcal new technologies.
In additon to the economic goals, the Business Expansion Center desires to provide these entrepreneurs with
a unique environment which enhances their opportunity for success by providing low cost o? ce space and
manufacturing space, professional support services, access to the resources of Georgia Northwestern Technical
College, and access to the area’s other resources through the fostering of entrepreneurial ideas from the early
stage of company development untl the graduaton stage of growth can be accomplished.
GNTC Business Expansion Center. Georgia Northwestern Technical College. 17 Jan. 2010. <www.gntc.edu>.
Business Expansion Center
96 East Callahan Street
Rome, Georgia 30161
706-295-6283
Gail Johnson, Director
[email protected]
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Business Expansion Center Services
In addition to other services, the BEC staff can:
• Assist with business plan development, marketng strategies, and strategic planning.
• Help identfy ?nancing sources.
• Arrange panel meetngs with accountants, lawyers and/or other professionals to discuss ?nancial, legal, or
other major business issues.
• Introduce you to board members who may be able to identfy possible business opportunites.
• Help initate contacts for strategic partnerships and other business alliances.
• Post your company on NBIA’s Business Matchmaker Database, which pro?les incubator companies and their
strategic alliance interests.
• Assist in designing and printng marketng materials such as brochures, newsleters, ads.
• Assist in website development and identfying Internet Service Providers.
• Provide technical support and consultng for some computer sofware packages.
• Provide a business library with resources, including books, periodicals, and reference materials.
• Hold seminars on a variety of business topics.
• Advertse seminars and other functons outside of the Business Expansion Center focusing on small business
issues.
• Coordinate newspaper artcles on your business events.
• Help construct press releases.
• Provide literature on a variety of services available to small businesses.
• Bring you along as guests to civic club presentatons.
• Assist in remodeling and expansion decisions to your o? ce.
• Notarize documents.
• Perform word processing tasks.
• Provide a Resource Library.
GNTC Business Expansion Center. Georgia Northwestern Technical College. 27 Jan. 2010. <www.gntc.edu>.
Additonally, the Center has developed resource materials available to its tenants. Many books and periodicals
have been purchased, thanks to a donaton by the Georgia Power Company. These resource materials and
sofware materials are available for use by the tenants to help them in their ongoing business successes.
Building Construction & Renovation
A building permit must be obtained for both new constructon and renovatons of and additons to existng
buildings. Before you may construct a new facility or renovate an existng one, you must have this permit.
Once you have obtained a building permit, complied with the regulatons pertaining to the area you are in, and
constructon is complete, the facility will be inspected. You will then apply for a Cert?cate of Occupancy.
Without this cert?cate, it is illegal for your business to reside in the facility.
For new constructon, the Planning Department can provide you with a Zoning Veri?caton Form before a
building permit is issued and constructon takes place.
Sign permits are required for erectng and placing any mounted or freestanding signs. Applicatons are ?led
through the Building Inspecton Department. For speci?c informaton about signage, call the Rome-Floyd
County Building Inspector’s o? ce in Rome.
Rome-Floyd County
Building Inspecton Department
607 Broad Street
P O Box 1433
Rome, Georgia 30162-1433
www.romega.us
E. Cal Hicks, Permit Specialist
[email protected]
706-236-4481
Mandatory City of Rome Codes – (Effective January, 2007)
The Building Inspector’s O? ce for the City of Rome
adheres to the following constructon codes:
Internatonal Building Code 2006 Editon
Internatonal Fuel Gas Code 2006 Editon
Internatonal Mechanical Code 2006 Editon
Internatonal Plumbing Code 2006 Editon
Natonal Electrical Code 2005 Editon
Internatonal Fire Code 2006 Editon
Internatonal Energy Conservaton Code 2000 Editon
Internatonal Residental Code 2006 Editon
Internatonal Property Maintenance Code 2003 Editon
Internatonal Existng Building Code 2003 Editon
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Rome-Floyd County
Building Inspecton Department
607 Broad Street
P O Box 1433
Rome, Georgia 30162-1433
www.romega.us
E. Cal Hicks, Permit Specialist
[email protected]
706-236-4481
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ZONING AND PLANNING
Once you have chosen a tentatve locaton for your business, contact the Zoning Department to
determine the permited uses of that locaton. There might be special restrictons on that area.
DO NOT INVEST ANY MONEY IN A LOCATION UNTIL ZONING HAS BEEN THOROUGHLY RESEARCHED!!!
To verify that your business is located within the City of Rome’s corporate limits, you can call the Zoning
and Planning O? ce at 706-236-5025.
The Planning Department can help you determine if your locaton and type of business are in
compliance with ordinances that adapt to current zoning classi?catons and building setbacks.
To locate your new business in an existng facility, the Zoning Department or City Clerk’s O? ce can
provide you with a Zoning Veri?caton Form.
If your plans do not or cannot meet the speci?catons provided, you can discuss optons with the
Zoning Administrator. If you ?nd the current zoning classi?caton of your potental locaton does not
allow for your business, you may also ?le an applicaton for rezoning. In order to ?le this applicaton,
you should use the appropriate form the jurisdicton requires.
Rome-Floyd County Planning Department
607 Broad Street
PO Box 1433
Rome, Georgia 30162-1433
706-236-5025
www.romega.us
Sue Hiller,
Planner/Director
[email protected]
Phil Helton,
Zoning Administrator
[email protected]
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SPECIAL CASES: Historic Areas
Locatng your new business within a historic district like
Downtown Rome will require speci?c consideratons. In Rome, no
building permit within the historic district may be issued by the
City Building Inspector untl the project has been submited to the
Historic Preservaton Commission and an approved Cert?cate of
Appropriateness is issued. Work undertaken in the district
without a Cert?cate of Appropriateness creates a legal risk of
?nes and/or having to reverse any work done for failure to
follow proper procedures.
Work undertaken that is not done in accordance with an approved
Cert?cate of Appropriateness shall be treated the same as work
done without an approved COA. If work is initated prior to
approval of a COA applicaton or to obtaining a building permit, a
cease and desist order may even be issued.
Instructons regarding how to apply for a Cert?cate of
Appropriateness are available online at the City of Rome’s
website, www.romega.us, or you may contact the Rome-Floyd
County Planning Department. The Planning Department is located
on the second ?oor of the Carnegie Building.
Rome-Floyd County Planning Department
607 Broad Street
P O Box 1433
Rome, Georgia 30162-1433
www.romega.us
Delmos Stone, Planning & Historic Preservaton
[email protected]
706-236-4476
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Downtown Development Authority
History
The City of Rome created the O? ce of Downtown and River Development in 1994 and hired a full tme director
at the urging of the Development Authority. In 2000, the positon was rede?ned as Downtown Development
and Historic Preservaton untl 2003 when Preservaton was moved to the Planning Department. The positon
is now devoted full tme to the revitalizaton of the downtown district. The Director sta?s the Downtown
Development Authority and oversees the Main Street program and the parking program, as well as serving as
a ready point of contact for prospects, project management, and administering the Downtown Revolving Loan
Fund. Other sta? members include and Administratve Assistant, the Parking Services Manager, two part-tme
Parking Atendants, and a part-tme Parking Enforcement O? cer
Mission
To foster an environment that encourages growth and development while enhancing the historic quality of the
City and County Center.
Revolving Loan Fund
The purpose of the Downtown Development Revolving Loan Fund (DD RLF) is to assist cites, countes, and
development authorites in their e?orts to revitalize and enhance downtown areas and adjacent historic
neighborhoods where DD RLF will spur commercial redevelopment.
Listed below are the criteria for ?nancing through the RLF program in Rome, Georgia:
1. The business must be located within the corporate limits of the City of Rome.
2. The business must commit to create and retain jobs. A minimum of 51% of the employment opportunites
must be ?lled by low income persons.
3. The business will be required to obtain at least 50% of project costs from a private lender or other source.
4. Personal equity injecton of 5% will be required.
5. The business must demonstrate a reasonable chance for success to the Loan Review Commitee using
Market Study, Pro Forma, Business Plan, and other documentaton.
6. Collateral may be required, as well as personal and/or coporate guarantees.
7. The applicant is responsible for all loan and legal fees associated with an approved loan.
8. The informaton that you provide must be truthful and accurate to the best of your knowledge. Failure to
provide same consttutes fraud and will result in the immediate terminaton of the loan process.
The process requires that the applicant ?ll out completely the loan applicaton and submit for all required
informaton. Failure to provide any informaton requested may be grounds for denial.
Once all informaton is received, it will be forwarded to the Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Loan Review Commitee
for review. For more informaton, contact the Downtown Development Authority.
Ann Arnold, Director
Jennifer Morgan, Administratve Assistant
607 Broad Street
PO Box 1433
Rome, GA 30162-1433
Phone: 706-236-4520
Fax: 706-236-4448
www.romega.us
Utilities And Telecom Services
Establishing Water, Electricity, Gas,
Solid Waste, Recycling, Sewer, and
Telecommunicatons Services
Water
Depending on your physical address, you may receive water
service from the either the City of Rome or Floyd County. New
accounts must apply in person at the o? ce and have a legal
picture ID such as a driver’s license. Be prepared to pay a security
deposit. One day’s notce is required for all water turn-ons.
City of Rome Water Billing & Collecton
City Hall/City Auditorium
601 Broad Street
Rome, GA 30161-1711
Phone: 706.236.4400
Fax: 706.236.4438
Methods of Payment:
Bank Draf, Credit Card, Personal Check, Cash, Walk-In,
Drive-Through, Mail, or Night Deposit
Floyd County Water Department
217 Calhoun Avenue
Rome, GA 30161
Phone: 706-291-5130
Methods of Payment:
Bank Draf, Credit Card (Visa or MasterCard), Walk-In,
Drive-Through, Mail, or Night Deposit
From the 1st through 10th of the month bills may be paid at
Citzen’s First and SunTrust Bank (all branches)
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Electricity
The primary provider of electrical services for small businesses and residences in Rome and Floyd Count is
Georgia Power. Georgia Power strives to e? ciently establish electric service for small businesses. Using an
online applicaton, you can submit a request to have the power connected at your new locaton. Simply visit
their website at htp://www.georgiapower.com/business_home.asp.
Georgia Power can connect your electric service every day except Sundays and holidays. Next day service is
available for orders that are submited before midnight. In most cases however, next day service is probably
not available for new buildings due to installaton and/or inspecton requirements. A connecton fee and a
cash deposit (or other security) will be required to establish a new electric service account.
Georgia Power
800 Broad Street
Rome, GA 30161
Phone: 1-888-660-5890
Fax: 706-236-1203
Gas
The Atlanta Gas Light Company is the primary distributor of natural gas for commercial and light industrial
customers in Rome & Floyd County. AGL o?ers services for businesses ranging in size from the corner grocery
store to the sprawling manufacturing plant. Services include programs for conversion to natural gas, gas
equipment recommendatons and incentves, energy e? ciency programs, and customer informaton services.
Atlanta Gas Light Company
1515 Veteran’s Memorial Highway, NE
Rome, GA 30161
Phone: 706-238-8160
Fax: 406-232-3799
There are several marketers of natural gas in Rome and Floyd County. Two primary marketers in the area
include Georgia Natural Gas and SCANA Energy. For a more detailed list of all the Georgia gas marketers, visit
the Georgia Public Service Commission website at htp://www.psc.state.ga.us/.
Georgia Natural Gas
1515 Veteran’s Memorial Highway, NE
Rome, GA 30161
Phone: 706-238-8160
Fax: 406-232-3799
SCANA Energy
504 Riverside Parkway, Suite 118
Rome, GA 30161
Phone: 706-290-9426
Fax: 706-802-0521
Solid Waste
The City of Rome provides commercial waste collecton for businesses within
Rome city limits. Commercial garbage collecton in Rome is accomplished by
two front-loading garbage trucks, and one rear-loading garbage truck. The
front loaders exclusively service dumpsters and are fully operated by a single
driver. Businesses whose solid waste generaton can be sats?ed by several
cans or bags are serviced by the rear loader garbage truck, which operates
with a crew consistng of the driver and one laborer.
Floyd County operates six remote trash collecton sites. These sites are
designed as collecton points for household garbage and recyclables. All sites
are equipped with trash compactng units and recycle bins for paper,
cardboard, cans, and glass. Each site has an atendant on duty during hours
of operaton. The remote sites are in operaton seven days a week. Many
private waste management companies serve Floyd County as well, including
Allied Waste/BFI, Riverside Garbage, and Waste Industries.
Recycling
The Rome-Floyd Recycling Center o?ers several services for small businesses
including con?dental shredding, free o? ce paper/corrugated box pick-up,
and free waste auditng. For more details, visit the website at
www.rome?oydrecycles.org.
• Con?dental Shredding
Many organizatons are able to have the Recycling Center meet their
legal shredding requirements by sending an employee to the Center to
actually observe the shredding process.
• Free O? ce Paper/Corrugated Box
The Recycling Center has a Commercial Pick-Up Route for businesses
and industries in Rome and Floyd County. This service is FREE. They
pick up o? ce paper and corrugated boxes on either a regularly
scheduled or call-in basis.
• Waste Audit
The Rome-Floyd Recycling Center can help you determine just what
is going out in your garbage as waste that could be diverted into a
recyclable or reusable item.
Sewer
The mission of the City of Rome Water and Sewer Division is to provide safe,
aesthetcally pleasing drinking water to the public and to properly operate the
sewage collecton systems, transportng sewage to one of Rome’s two
wastewater treatment plants for processing.
Allied Waste Services/
BFI Waste Services
14 Redmond Court
Rome, GA 30165
Allied Phone: 706-266-2861
BFI Phone: 706-235-8504
Waste Industries
2097 Buchanan Highway
Cedartown, GA 30125
770-748-8685
Riverside Garbage Service
PO Box 2067
Rome, GA 30164-2067
706-234-9926
Rome-Floyd County
Recycling Center
405 Waters Street
Rome, GA 30161
Phone: 706.291.5266
Fax: 706-233-0027
Email: [email protected]
City of Rome Solid Waste
Collectons Department
200 Vaughn Road
PO Box 1433
Rome, GA 30162-1433
Phone: 706-236-4580
Fax: 706-378-3864
John Agan, Assistant Director
City of Rome
Water and Sewer Division
City Hall & City Auditorium
601 Broad Street
Rome, GA 30161
Phone: 706-236-4560
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Telecom Services
(Broadband, Internet, Telephone, and Cable TV)
AT&T
AT&T o?ers many great solutons for small businesses including telephone, email, and television
services. Other services include teleconferencing, email security, and networking solutons such as
AT&T Mult-Protocol Label Switching service (MPLS).
Among a wide variety of services, AT&T o?ers a complimentary program exclusively for small business
called “Exclusively Business,” that provides cost savings opportunites, 24/7 technical support, and
mobile business solutons consultng. For more informaton on the “Exclusively Business” program, visit
the AT&T website at www.at.com and click on the “Small Business Programs” tab.
In additon, AT&T o?ers many great services tailored to the needs of small business owners and
entrepreneurs. At AT&T’s “Onward Small Biz” website, htp://smallbiz.at.com, you can ?nd expert
business advice, free online seminars, free forums and artcles, resources for women in business, and
diversity resources.
AT&T
600 East 1st Street
Rome, GA 30161
706-291-8966
Comcast
Comcast o?ers a wide variety of products and services for small and medium businesses in Rome and
Floyd County. In additon to internet, voice, and television services, Comcast o?ers business
communicaton services, antvirus sofware, email marketng tools, and advertsing sales tools at
www.comcast.com. These products and services are backed by 24/7 priority business-class support.
Comcast
702 Broad Street
Rome, GA 30161
706-291-7288
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doc_965514396.pdf
During this such a detailed illustration about business expansion center services.
- 48 -
Choosing the Right Location
The locaton of your business can have a serious impact on your success. Locaton
determines who will see your business, how easily they can ?nd it, and whether or not
they will even want to access it. Even manufacturing businesses, where customers
normally do not visit the site, ofen rely on locatons with major transportaton
arteries nearby. Because your business site may even become permanent, your
decision to select the best site may need to be just?ed to your major investors, lenders,
suppliers, and other business consttuents.
Allen, Kathleen R. Launching New Ventures : An Entrepreneurial Approach. 4th ed. Boston: Houghton Mi? in College Division, 2006.
- 49 -
Allen, Kathleen R. Launching New Ventures : An Entrepreneurial Approach. 4th ed. Boston: Houghton Mi? in College Division, 2006.
Choosing a Retail Site
Competition and Character
Deciding on a locaton early on will allow you to gather more accurate and detailed informaton on the
competton and your market.
Some tps for deciding on the best locaton:
1. Drive or walk through the area to ?nd competng businesses. How big are they? How many are there?
2. Note how busy they are and at what tmes of day.
3. Are the compettors established in a shopping mall or shopping center? If so, look for clusters of
stores that are similar to your new retail venture and have low vacancy rates.
4. Look at stores near your potental site. Are they compatble? Ofen, a locaton near your competton
is bene?cial because it encourages your market to comparison shop.
5. What is the overall character of the area? Is it compatble with the character you want for your new
business?
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Choosing a Manufacturing Site
If you are startng a new manufacturing business, your choices for a locaton will
be more narrow than as for a new retail venture. In Rome and Floyd County,
there are several speci?c industrial parks and industrial sites available for
manufacturing. These sites are strategically located to provide the best access
in the county to utlites and major transportaton arteries. For more informaton
on prospectve manufacturing sites, the Director of Economic Development at
the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce can provide more details and
speci?catons. There are two development authorites that work closely with
the City of Rome, Floyd County, and the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce
to manage and promote existng industrial sites. These authorites include the
Rome-Floyd County Development Authority (RFCDA) and the Development
Authority of Floyd County.
Four Key Factors
As an entrepreneur seeking a manufacturing site, four factors will impact your
decision to locaton the most:
1. The Labor Pool
2. Access to Suppliers
3. Access to Transporation, and
4. Cost of Utilities
The Labor Pool
In establishing your new manufacturing business, be very careful to consider
the cost of labor and the availability of skilled workers. The “Workforce Issues”
secton of this guide contains more detailed informaton on ?nding an educated
workforce. Wages and workers compensaton laws will also drastcally a?ect
your botom line. For more informaton on labor laws, see the “Workforce
Issues” secton of this guide.
Access to Suppliers
Locatng within a reasonable distance from your major suppliers will create
several advantages for your new business. A close proximity will cut your
shipping tme and save on transportaton costs. The City of Rome is conveniently
located at the center of a geographic triangle composed of Atlanta, Birmingham,
and Chatanooga, making Rome a strategic locaton for manufacuters with
suppliers in these three cites. The Chamber can help you identfy potental
suppliers in Floyd County and can help you connect to other businesses for which
you may serve as a supplier.
Allen, Kathleen R. Launching New Ventures : An Entrepreneurial Approach. 4th ed. Boston: Houghton Mi? in College
Division, 2006.
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Access to Transportation
As a manufacturer, you will want to locate as close as possible to major transportaton
arteries , whether that be railway, highway, or airport. Minimizing the distance between
the plant and the modes of transportaton will lower your overall producton costs and
make you more pro?table. Rome and Floyd County have multple sites located in close
proximity to highways and the interstate. Several sites also have rail access. The Richard
B. Russell Regional Airport is located just north of town and features a 6,000-foot runway.
Cost of Utilities
Utlity rates will also vary depending on where you locate. If your new business will be
heavily dependent a few speci?c utlites such as gas, electricity, or coal, you will want to
research the cost of the utlites even more carefully. The Chamber’s Director of
Economic Development can provide speci?c informaton on the cost of utlites at each
industrial site. For more informaton, see the “Utlites and Telecom Services”
informaton within the “Choosing the Right Locaton” secton of this guide.
Allen, Kathleen R. Launching New Ventures : An Entrepreneurial Approach. 4th ed. Boston: Houghton Mi? in College Division, 2006.
Alternatives to Conventional Facilities
Temporary Tenant Agreements
To help maintain a steady cash ?ow, some landlords o?er to rent or lease their empty spaces for a
short period of tme. This type of relatonship works well for both the landlord and the tenant if certain
elements are in place. Keep in mind that temporary tenant agreements work best in areas with high
foot tra? c and signi?cant customer turnover. In general, a good temporary tenant ofen possesses
some of the following characteristcs to help draw customers:
1. Personalized Merchandise
2. Opportunities to Sample the Product
3. Products that can be Demonstrated
4. Products that can be Used for Entertainment the Customers
Mobile Locations
A less conventonal way to introduce a business, a mobile store such as a pushcart or kiosk ofen serves
as a beter ?t for new entrepreneurial ventures. A mobile locaton allows the company to expand while
keeping overhead costs relatvely low. These types of locatons are best suited for retail locatons like
malls or airports.
Allen, Kathleen R. Launching New Ventures : An Entrepreneurial Approach.
4th ed. Boston: Houghton Mi? in College Division, 2006.
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Shared Space
One creatve approach to securing the best locaton at
a reasonable price involved shared space agreements.
Ofen, a business start-up can ?nd suitable space within
the facilites of a larger company. On the other hand,
you may opt to sublet a porton of your own space to
another complimentary business.
Incubators
Similar to the purpose of an incubator for an infant,
a business incubator helps a new start-up business to
survive the ?rst few critcal years. An incubator provides
a controlled environment that increases the chances of
survival and growth as your business begins. There are
incubators in every region of the country. Most o?er
space at below-market rates along with shared resources
and services such as a receptonist or a conference
room. Afer the ?rst few years of the start-up phase, the
incubator then assists the new business in striking out
on its own.
Business Expansion Center
GNTC Business Expansion Center. Georgia Northwestern Technical College. 27 Jan. 2010. <www.gntc.edu>.
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Services Offered by the Business Expansion Center
The Business Expansion Center desires to provide entrepreneurs with a unique environment which enhances
their opportunity for success by providing low cost o? ce and manufacturing space, professional support
services, access to the resources of Georgia Northwestern Technical College, and access to the area’s other
resources through the fostering of entrepreneurial ideas from the early stage of company development untl
the graduaton stage of growth can be accomplished. The College’s commitment to this project will help start
and expand these businesses by focusing on entrepreneurial educaton, training, facility availability, and
management support.
The GNTC Business Expansion Center o?ers individualized space, ?exible leasing, access to postage machine,
fax machine, laser printer, copier, and small package shipping and receiving.
Mission Statement
The GNTC Business Expansion Center exists to provide entrepreneurs
of new and expanding businesses with an environment conducive to
the start-up or expanding company’s chances for success by providing
low cost o? ce and developmental space, professional and support
services, and access to the College’s and region’s resources. GNTC
Business Expansion Center fosters entrepreneurial ideas for
manufacturing, informaton technology, and service industries from the
earliest stage of development untl the graduaton stage of growth in
the Floyd, Gordon, and Polk County area.
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Business Expansion Center Services
History
In June of 2001, Georgia Northwestern Technical College made a commitment to increase its very prominent
role in the community’s economic development e?orts by the establishment of a Business Expansion Center.
Having established a well known and successful economic development initatve, including Quick Start and
Workforce Development, the creaton of the Business Expansion Center was a natural additon.
This Expansion Center was created in order to provide for new industries and new jobs by encouraging the
development of companies in its three-county service area (Floyd, Gordon, and Polk). The acquisiton of a
38,500 square foot building for use in providing tenant space was accomplished in order to successfully atract
manufacturing, service, and informaton technology start-ups as well as those involved in biomedical and
biotechnical areas.
The concept of the Expansion Center was useful in that it provided the economic development tools necessary
to accelerate the growth and success of entrepreneurial companies through an array of business support
services and resources. In that a business incubator’s main goal is to produce successful ?rms that will leave
the program ?nancially viable and freestanding, the idea of a facility where rotaton in and out of these ?rms
was atractve. These graduates would create jobs, revitalize neighborhoods, strengthen local and regional
economies, and commercialize critcal new technologies.
In additon to the economic goals, the Business Expansion Center desires to provide these entrepreneurs with
a unique environment which enhances their opportunity for success by providing low cost o? ce space and
manufacturing space, professional support services, access to the resources of Georgia Northwestern Technical
College, and access to the area’s other resources through the fostering of entrepreneurial ideas from the early
stage of company development untl the graduaton stage of growth can be accomplished.
GNTC Business Expansion Center. Georgia Northwestern Technical College. 17 Jan. 2010. <www.gntc.edu>.
Business Expansion Center
96 East Callahan Street
Rome, Georgia 30161
706-295-6283
Gail Johnson, Director
[email protected]
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Business Expansion Center Services
In addition to other services, the BEC staff can:
• Assist with business plan development, marketng strategies, and strategic planning.
• Help identfy ?nancing sources.
• Arrange panel meetngs with accountants, lawyers and/or other professionals to discuss ?nancial, legal, or
other major business issues.
• Introduce you to board members who may be able to identfy possible business opportunites.
• Help initate contacts for strategic partnerships and other business alliances.
• Post your company on NBIA’s Business Matchmaker Database, which pro?les incubator companies and their
strategic alliance interests.
• Assist in designing and printng marketng materials such as brochures, newsleters, ads.
• Assist in website development and identfying Internet Service Providers.
• Provide technical support and consultng for some computer sofware packages.
• Provide a business library with resources, including books, periodicals, and reference materials.
• Hold seminars on a variety of business topics.
• Advertse seminars and other functons outside of the Business Expansion Center focusing on small business
issues.
• Coordinate newspaper artcles on your business events.
• Help construct press releases.
• Provide literature on a variety of services available to small businesses.
• Bring you along as guests to civic club presentatons.
• Assist in remodeling and expansion decisions to your o? ce.
• Notarize documents.
• Perform word processing tasks.
• Provide a Resource Library.
GNTC Business Expansion Center. Georgia Northwestern Technical College. 27 Jan. 2010. <www.gntc.edu>.
Additonally, the Center has developed resource materials available to its tenants. Many books and periodicals
have been purchased, thanks to a donaton by the Georgia Power Company. These resource materials and
sofware materials are available for use by the tenants to help them in their ongoing business successes.
Building Construction & Renovation
A building permit must be obtained for both new constructon and renovatons of and additons to existng
buildings. Before you may construct a new facility or renovate an existng one, you must have this permit.
Once you have obtained a building permit, complied with the regulatons pertaining to the area you are in, and
constructon is complete, the facility will be inspected. You will then apply for a Cert?cate of Occupancy.
Without this cert?cate, it is illegal for your business to reside in the facility.
For new constructon, the Planning Department can provide you with a Zoning Veri?caton Form before a
building permit is issued and constructon takes place.
Sign permits are required for erectng and placing any mounted or freestanding signs. Applicatons are ?led
through the Building Inspecton Department. For speci?c informaton about signage, call the Rome-Floyd
County Building Inspector’s o? ce in Rome.
Rome-Floyd County
Building Inspecton Department
607 Broad Street
P O Box 1433
Rome, Georgia 30162-1433
www.romega.us
E. Cal Hicks, Permit Specialist
[email protected]
706-236-4481
Mandatory City of Rome Codes – (Effective January, 2007)
The Building Inspector’s O? ce for the City of Rome
adheres to the following constructon codes:
Internatonal Building Code 2006 Editon
Internatonal Fuel Gas Code 2006 Editon
Internatonal Mechanical Code 2006 Editon
Internatonal Plumbing Code 2006 Editon
Natonal Electrical Code 2005 Editon
Internatonal Fire Code 2006 Editon
Internatonal Energy Conservaton Code 2000 Editon
Internatonal Residental Code 2006 Editon
Internatonal Property Maintenance Code 2003 Editon
Internatonal Existng Building Code 2003 Editon
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Rome-Floyd County
Building Inspecton Department
607 Broad Street
P O Box 1433
Rome, Georgia 30162-1433
www.romega.us
E. Cal Hicks, Permit Specialist
[email protected]
706-236-4481
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ZONING AND PLANNING
Once you have chosen a tentatve locaton for your business, contact the Zoning Department to
determine the permited uses of that locaton. There might be special restrictons on that area.
DO NOT INVEST ANY MONEY IN A LOCATION UNTIL ZONING HAS BEEN THOROUGHLY RESEARCHED!!!
To verify that your business is located within the City of Rome’s corporate limits, you can call the Zoning
and Planning O? ce at 706-236-5025.
The Planning Department can help you determine if your locaton and type of business are in
compliance with ordinances that adapt to current zoning classi?catons and building setbacks.
To locate your new business in an existng facility, the Zoning Department or City Clerk’s O? ce can
provide you with a Zoning Veri?caton Form.
If your plans do not or cannot meet the speci?catons provided, you can discuss optons with the
Zoning Administrator. If you ?nd the current zoning classi?caton of your potental locaton does not
allow for your business, you may also ?le an applicaton for rezoning. In order to ?le this applicaton,
you should use the appropriate form the jurisdicton requires.
Rome-Floyd County Planning Department
607 Broad Street
PO Box 1433
Rome, Georgia 30162-1433
706-236-5025
www.romega.us
Sue Hiller,
Planner/Director
[email protected]
Phil Helton,
Zoning Administrator
[email protected]
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SPECIAL CASES: Historic Areas
Locatng your new business within a historic district like
Downtown Rome will require speci?c consideratons. In Rome, no
building permit within the historic district may be issued by the
City Building Inspector untl the project has been submited to the
Historic Preservaton Commission and an approved Cert?cate of
Appropriateness is issued. Work undertaken in the district
without a Cert?cate of Appropriateness creates a legal risk of
?nes and/or having to reverse any work done for failure to
follow proper procedures.
Work undertaken that is not done in accordance with an approved
Cert?cate of Appropriateness shall be treated the same as work
done without an approved COA. If work is initated prior to
approval of a COA applicaton or to obtaining a building permit, a
cease and desist order may even be issued.
Instructons regarding how to apply for a Cert?cate of
Appropriateness are available online at the City of Rome’s
website, www.romega.us, or you may contact the Rome-Floyd
County Planning Department. The Planning Department is located
on the second ?oor of the Carnegie Building.
Rome-Floyd County Planning Department
607 Broad Street
P O Box 1433
Rome, Georgia 30162-1433
www.romega.us
Delmos Stone, Planning & Historic Preservaton
[email protected]
706-236-4476
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Downtown Development Authority
History
The City of Rome created the O? ce of Downtown and River Development in 1994 and hired a full tme director
at the urging of the Development Authority. In 2000, the positon was rede?ned as Downtown Development
and Historic Preservaton untl 2003 when Preservaton was moved to the Planning Department. The positon
is now devoted full tme to the revitalizaton of the downtown district. The Director sta?s the Downtown
Development Authority and oversees the Main Street program and the parking program, as well as serving as
a ready point of contact for prospects, project management, and administering the Downtown Revolving Loan
Fund. Other sta? members include and Administratve Assistant, the Parking Services Manager, two part-tme
Parking Atendants, and a part-tme Parking Enforcement O? cer
Mission
To foster an environment that encourages growth and development while enhancing the historic quality of the
City and County Center.
Revolving Loan Fund
The purpose of the Downtown Development Revolving Loan Fund (DD RLF) is to assist cites, countes, and
development authorites in their e?orts to revitalize and enhance downtown areas and adjacent historic
neighborhoods where DD RLF will spur commercial redevelopment.
Listed below are the criteria for ?nancing through the RLF program in Rome, Georgia:
1. The business must be located within the corporate limits of the City of Rome.
2. The business must commit to create and retain jobs. A minimum of 51% of the employment opportunites
must be ?lled by low income persons.
3. The business will be required to obtain at least 50% of project costs from a private lender or other source.
4. Personal equity injecton of 5% will be required.
5. The business must demonstrate a reasonable chance for success to the Loan Review Commitee using
Market Study, Pro Forma, Business Plan, and other documentaton.
6. Collateral may be required, as well as personal and/or coporate guarantees.
7. The applicant is responsible for all loan and legal fees associated with an approved loan.
8. The informaton that you provide must be truthful and accurate to the best of your knowledge. Failure to
provide same consttutes fraud and will result in the immediate terminaton of the loan process.
The process requires that the applicant ?ll out completely the loan applicaton and submit for all required
informaton. Failure to provide any informaton requested may be grounds for denial.
Once all informaton is received, it will be forwarded to the Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Loan Review Commitee
for review. For more informaton, contact the Downtown Development Authority.
Ann Arnold, Director
Jennifer Morgan, Administratve Assistant
607 Broad Street
PO Box 1433
Rome, GA 30162-1433
Phone: 706-236-4520
Fax: 706-236-4448
www.romega.us
Utilities And Telecom Services
Establishing Water, Electricity, Gas,
Solid Waste, Recycling, Sewer, and
Telecommunicatons Services
Water
Depending on your physical address, you may receive water
service from the either the City of Rome or Floyd County. New
accounts must apply in person at the o? ce and have a legal
picture ID such as a driver’s license. Be prepared to pay a security
deposit. One day’s notce is required for all water turn-ons.
City of Rome Water Billing & Collecton
City Hall/City Auditorium
601 Broad Street
Rome, GA 30161-1711
Phone: 706.236.4400
Fax: 706.236.4438
Methods of Payment:
Bank Draf, Credit Card, Personal Check, Cash, Walk-In,
Drive-Through, Mail, or Night Deposit
Floyd County Water Department
217 Calhoun Avenue
Rome, GA 30161
Phone: 706-291-5130
Methods of Payment:
Bank Draf, Credit Card (Visa or MasterCard), Walk-In,
Drive-Through, Mail, or Night Deposit
From the 1st through 10th of the month bills may be paid at
Citzen’s First and SunTrust Bank (all branches)
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Electricity
The primary provider of electrical services for small businesses and residences in Rome and Floyd Count is
Georgia Power. Georgia Power strives to e? ciently establish electric service for small businesses. Using an
online applicaton, you can submit a request to have the power connected at your new locaton. Simply visit
their website at htp://www.georgiapower.com/business_home.asp.
Georgia Power can connect your electric service every day except Sundays and holidays. Next day service is
available for orders that are submited before midnight. In most cases however, next day service is probably
not available for new buildings due to installaton and/or inspecton requirements. A connecton fee and a
cash deposit (or other security) will be required to establish a new electric service account.
Georgia Power
800 Broad Street
Rome, GA 30161
Phone: 1-888-660-5890
Fax: 706-236-1203
Gas
The Atlanta Gas Light Company is the primary distributor of natural gas for commercial and light industrial
customers in Rome & Floyd County. AGL o?ers services for businesses ranging in size from the corner grocery
store to the sprawling manufacturing plant. Services include programs for conversion to natural gas, gas
equipment recommendatons and incentves, energy e? ciency programs, and customer informaton services.
Atlanta Gas Light Company
1515 Veteran’s Memorial Highway, NE
Rome, GA 30161
Phone: 706-238-8160
Fax: 406-232-3799
There are several marketers of natural gas in Rome and Floyd County. Two primary marketers in the area
include Georgia Natural Gas and SCANA Energy. For a more detailed list of all the Georgia gas marketers, visit
the Georgia Public Service Commission website at htp://www.psc.state.ga.us/.
Georgia Natural Gas
1515 Veteran’s Memorial Highway, NE
Rome, GA 30161
Phone: 706-238-8160
Fax: 406-232-3799
SCANA Energy
504 Riverside Parkway, Suite 118
Rome, GA 30161
Phone: 706-290-9426
Fax: 706-802-0521
Solid Waste
The City of Rome provides commercial waste collecton for businesses within
Rome city limits. Commercial garbage collecton in Rome is accomplished by
two front-loading garbage trucks, and one rear-loading garbage truck. The
front loaders exclusively service dumpsters and are fully operated by a single
driver. Businesses whose solid waste generaton can be sats?ed by several
cans or bags are serviced by the rear loader garbage truck, which operates
with a crew consistng of the driver and one laborer.
Floyd County operates six remote trash collecton sites. These sites are
designed as collecton points for household garbage and recyclables. All sites
are equipped with trash compactng units and recycle bins for paper,
cardboard, cans, and glass. Each site has an atendant on duty during hours
of operaton. The remote sites are in operaton seven days a week. Many
private waste management companies serve Floyd County as well, including
Allied Waste/BFI, Riverside Garbage, and Waste Industries.
Recycling
The Rome-Floyd Recycling Center o?ers several services for small businesses
including con?dental shredding, free o? ce paper/corrugated box pick-up,
and free waste auditng. For more details, visit the website at
www.rome?oydrecycles.org.
• Con?dental Shredding
Many organizatons are able to have the Recycling Center meet their
legal shredding requirements by sending an employee to the Center to
actually observe the shredding process.
• Free O? ce Paper/Corrugated Box
The Recycling Center has a Commercial Pick-Up Route for businesses
and industries in Rome and Floyd County. This service is FREE. They
pick up o? ce paper and corrugated boxes on either a regularly
scheduled or call-in basis.
• Waste Audit
The Rome-Floyd Recycling Center can help you determine just what
is going out in your garbage as waste that could be diverted into a
recyclable or reusable item.
Sewer
The mission of the City of Rome Water and Sewer Division is to provide safe,
aesthetcally pleasing drinking water to the public and to properly operate the
sewage collecton systems, transportng sewage to one of Rome’s two
wastewater treatment plants for processing.
Allied Waste Services/
BFI Waste Services
14 Redmond Court
Rome, GA 30165
Allied Phone: 706-266-2861
BFI Phone: 706-235-8504
Waste Industries
2097 Buchanan Highway
Cedartown, GA 30125
770-748-8685
Riverside Garbage Service
PO Box 2067
Rome, GA 30164-2067
706-234-9926
Rome-Floyd County
Recycling Center
405 Waters Street
Rome, GA 30161
Phone: 706.291.5266
Fax: 706-233-0027
Email: [email protected]
City of Rome Solid Waste
Collectons Department
200 Vaughn Road
PO Box 1433
Rome, GA 30162-1433
Phone: 706-236-4580
Fax: 706-378-3864
John Agan, Assistant Director
City of Rome
Water and Sewer Division
City Hall & City Auditorium
601 Broad Street
Rome, GA 30161
Phone: 706-236-4560
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Telecom Services
(Broadband, Internet, Telephone, and Cable TV)
AT&T
AT&T o?ers many great solutons for small businesses including telephone, email, and television
services. Other services include teleconferencing, email security, and networking solutons such as
AT&T Mult-Protocol Label Switching service (MPLS).
Among a wide variety of services, AT&T o?ers a complimentary program exclusively for small business
called “Exclusively Business,” that provides cost savings opportunites, 24/7 technical support, and
mobile business solutons consultng. For more informaton on the “Exclusively Business” program, visit
the AT&T website at www.at.com and click on the “Small Business Programs” tab.
In additon, AT&T o?ers many great services tailored to the needs of small business owners and
entrepreneurs. At AT&T’s “Onward Small Biz” website, htp://smallbiz.at.com, you can ?nd expert
business advice, free online seminars, free forums and artcles, resources for women in business, and
diversity resources.
AT&T
600 East 1st Street
Rome, GA 30161
706-291-8966
Comcast
Comcast o?ers a wide variety of products and services for small and medium businesses in Rome and
Floyd County. In additon to internet, voice, and television services, Comcast o?ers business
communicaton services, antvirus sofware, email marketng tools, and advertsing sales tools at
www.comcast.com. These products and services are backed by 24/7 priority business-class support.
Comcast
702 Broad Street
Rome, GA 30161
706-291-7288
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