Since the establishment of Fort Eisenhower in 1941, the government has been a significant driver of the economy of Augusta. Fort Eisenhower is the current home of the United States Army Signal Corps, United States Army Cyber Command, and the Cyber Center of Excellence. Spread across nearly 56,000 acres, Fort Eisenhower supports a population of over 100,000, including military families, contractors, retirees, and others, making it the largest non-manufacturing employer in Augusta.
Growing Augusta’s tech workforce
With technology rapidly changing, we can expect Fort Eisenhower to continue driving economic growth in Augusta as it’s also home to NSA Georgia, one of four cryptologic centers of the National Security Agency. The center focuses on signal intelligence intercepts from Europe, the Middle East, Russia, and North Africa. It conducts time-sensitive operations for tactical, operational, and national-level indications and warning requirements, which support global and regional security objectives. Since its establishment in 1995, NSA Georgia has expanded its operations and physical size, bringing more employment to the Fort. This will continue as advancements in artificial intelligence are being used for offensive and defensive military efforts, fueling the need for additional cyber intelligence experts in the workforce.
Fort Eisenhower’s future
The Department of Defense will release its next five-year defense spending plan in 2025. With the potential to move additional military branches to the base for synergies, Augusta could see continued population growth in the coming years. With this branch movement would come service workers and their families, bringing the need for additional jobs to build housing and accommodations near the Fort, as well as increase consumer spending in the Augusta area. The total consumer spending in Georgia is forecast to amount to $23.37 billion in 2024, which would be an increase of 6.7% from 2023’s total of $21.9 billion. Any additional consumer spending coming into Augusta due to population growth would be hugely beneficial for the area’s economy.
Looking further into the future, Fort Eisenhower will implement more than 80 major construction and renovation projects over the next 10 years, eclipsing $2 billion. One of the major projects is the construction of the Cyber Center Schoolhouse, which will bring new buildings, renovation of existing amenities, and road, water, and sewer enhancements. This project alone will cost upward of $900 million. This government spending being poured into the Augusta area will directly benefit Fort Eisenhower, the community, and the businesses operating in the area.
Kevin Glass is the Augusta Market President at Synovus Bank. Kevin has over 25 years of experience in commercial, private wealth, and retail banking.
