Macon, GA (October 13, 2008) -- Meridian 75 Logistics Center, a 3-million-square-foot business distribution park being developed by industrial real estate company IDI Inc. in Monroe County north of Macon, Ga., has won the Deal of the Year award in the non-urban Category from the Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA). The award recognized Meridian 75 Logistics Center for its economic impact and the innovative financing used to fund the project.

The award was recently presented to development partners IDI and the Development Authority of Monroe County. “This is an exciting award for IDI and the Development Authority, and an excellent example of a private-public partnership working together to generate jobs and bring long-term economic benefits to a community,” said Jay Mitchell, senior vice president and regional development officer in IDI’s Atlanta regional office.

The potential economic benefits will include an addition to the county’s job base of 1,250 employees and a net payroll of $39 million per year. The business park will give regional distributors the opportunity to tap into markets stretching from Richmond, Virginia, to Miami, Florida.

To make the project financially possible, the Development Authority and IDI teamed in a public-private partnership on a PILOT (payments in lieu of taxes) financing plan. The Development Authority – in tandem with the Board of Commissioners, Board of Tax Assessors and Board of Education – issued $11.5 million in PILOT bonds, which were purchased by IDI to fund infrastructure improvements at the site. The proceeds from the county’s sale of the project’s 271-acre site to IDI will enable the county to develop another industrial park, producing additional revenue for the community.

“The Development Authority of Monroe County has been a true team player in getting this project off the ground,” said Lisa Ward, vice president of leasing in IDI’s Atlanta office. “The authority has demonstrated its leadership by supporting a project that will expand employment opportunities and bring revenue to the community.”

Now in the mass-grading and site-development phase of construction, Meridian 75 Logistics Center, a Class-A business park, will ultimately feature four warehouse/distribution facilities ranging from 200,000 square feet to over 1.2 million square feet. The first building, a 500,000-square-foot facility expandable to more than 1 million square feet, is scheduled for completion in 2009.

Tiffany Andrews, president and CEO of the Forsyth-Monroe County Chamber of Commerce and Development Authority of Monroe County, said the award is a proud achievement for the public-private partners who teamed to bring the Meridian 75 project to an underutilized site. “Almost 10 years ago, the Development Authority’s Board of Directors partnered with Oglethorpe Power to purchase the property. However, with escalating development costs, the site has gone undeveloped,” she said. “This project is going to be a huge stimulus for our economy. Thanks to the hard work and vision of IDI and many Monroe County leaders, we will have a first-class business park that will really put Monroe County on the map.”

About Meridian 75 Logistics Center

Located at the intersection of Interstate 75 and Rumble Road, Meridian 75 Logistics Center is 15 miles north of Macon and 55 miles south of Interstate 285 in Atlanta. The site offers immediate access and visibility to Interstate 75, and proximity to a large, diverse labor pool. Designed to support the growing demand for distribution space south of Atlanta, Meridian 75 will offer distributors convenient access to major Florida markets as well as the port of Savannah.

About IDI

(www.idi.com) is a full-service industrial real estate developer based in Atlanta, providing strategically located properties throughout North America to meet its tenants’ distribution, warehouse and light-manufacturing needs. To date, IDI has developed 120 million square feet of industrial space valued at $5.6 billion. IDI has development offices in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Memphis and Philadelphia. Nationally, IDI Services Group provides leasing services for third-party building owners. By working closely with each owner and conducting a thorough analysis of each facility, IDI helps our clients achieve leasing goals and maximize property value.