ATL Standard

Invest Atlanta announced today that areas along Campbellton Road near Greenbriar Mall and sections of Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive have been designated as Opportunity Zones by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA). The program aims to stimulate business growth, job creation, and economic revitalization through tax credits for businesses that generate employment within these zones.

"Bringing new investment and jobs to Campbellton Road, Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, and other key corridors is a vital part of Atlanta’s economic development strategy," said Mayor Andre Dickens. "These new Opportunity Zone designations will encourage small business investment that leads to increased prosperity for residents in these communities."

The parcels along Campbellton Road (primarily in Atlanta City Council District 11) and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive (primarily in Atlanta City Council District 10) met DCA criteria such as underdevelopment, blighted conditions, and general distress. Businesses on these parcels are eligible for the Opportunity Zone tax credit. Invest Atlanta coordinates the city’s Opportunity Zone program.

"This is a big win for District 11 because Opportunity Zones have the double benefit of providing tax credits for businesses and creating jobs for District 11 residents," said Marci Collier Overstreet, Atlanta City Councilmember.

"These new Opportunity Zone designations extending from the West Lake MARTA station all the way to I-285 will spark new economic activity and job creation in District 10 along the MLK corridor," said Andrea Boone, Atlanta City Councilmember.

Campbellton Road and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive are two of nine active State of Georgia Opportunity Zones in the city. The $3,500 per job state tax credit is available to businesses that create at least two jobs annually. These credits can be claimed for up to five years with a maximum value of $17,500 if jobs are maintained.

"Opportunity Zones will accelerate the impact we are making in these communities through the Tax Allocation Districts along these corridors and other economic development programs," said Dr. Eloisa Klementich, president and CEO of Invest Atlanta. "In the last five years, the Opportunity Zone program has created 4,601 jobs in underinvested areas of the city."

Opportunity Zones were established under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. As of 2024, there are more than 8,764 Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZs) across the United States designed to spur economic growth through tax incentives. Each state nominates its zones which are then certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

For more information about Georgia’s Opportunity Zone program, visit www.investatlanta.com or www.dca.ga.gov