Tramell looks to the new year

Published 11:00 am Thursday, December 28, 2023

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Mayor of West Point, Steve Tramell discussed his goals for his city in 2024 while looking back on a successful 2023.

“I think West Point did fantastic,” Tramell said emphatically. “[We had] a lot of new projects that were announced this year.

Tramell said he is especially looking forward to the completion of construction on the interchange for Exit 2. One of the biggest developments for West Point came in November, when the long-awaited, Love’s Truck Stop opened at the exit off of I-85. 

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It is the largest Love’s in the country, hiring 140 local employees and bringing four new companies to the Georgia town. The West Point City Council expects it to become the number one revenue-producing retail establishment in the county.

Tramell also talked about continuing to grow the automotive industry in the area. 

“With the automotive industry and the new first electric vehicle in Georgia the EV9 at Kia. That was just a remarkable milestone for the City of West Point,” Tramell said. 

In April, Kia announced that the all-electric 2024 EV9 SUV would be manufactured in the West Point plant. The EV9 is the first three-row EV SUV from Kia Motors. The assembly of the new vehicles is expected to start in the middle of next year. The new car is expected to bring 200 jobs and $200 million in investment for the plant. 

Tramell had a successful year professionally, as he was reelected mayor of West Point in November. This is his second term in the position. 

His campaign focused on expanding the housing in the city and the continued development of the Downtown area and economy. He said he is committed to that goal in the upcoming year. 

“My goal, always, is continued progress in West Point,” Tramell emphasized.