South Fulton approves $8.4M tax package for former UPS site

A former UPS distribution hub south of Atlanta is set to be demolished to make way for a Caterpillar equipment campus.

Yancey Bros., an Austell-based dealer of Caterpillar machinery, acquired the site in South Fulton near Six Flags Over Georgia. The company plans to use the property for assembly, service and testing of Caterpillar power systems. The project carries a price tag of nearly $79 million and is expected to employ 457 workers, company officials said.

The South Fulton City Council approved preliminary rezoning and land use requests on Tuesday, Oct. 27. The council also approved a $3.3 million assistance package. City records show the rezoning request seeks to change the property's zoning to a classification that allows the planned development.

The project carries the code name Project Bulldog. A related tax break request is pending. The tax package would generate about $8.4 million in new property tax revenue for the city over the next decade.

Yancey Bros. employs about 2,600 people, company representatives said. The company said average annual payroll at the site is expected to be $33 million. The project also includes a training center for new leadership, power generation programs and technical site training. Yancey Bros. is a Caterpillar-certified Power Systems dealer.

Cobb County residents may recognize the Yancey Bros. name from its equipment dealerships. The company's leadership said the site would support training for employees.

Mayor Gale Kilgore of South Fulton did not respond to a request for comment. The South Fulton City Council did not respond to a request for comment.