FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ga. — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced Thursday that Walmart plans to build a 1.5 million-square-foot fulfillment center in Carnesville, Ga.
The $1.3 billion project is expected to create 1,000 jobs in Franklin County.
Kemp announced the news while participating in an economic development mission in Lima, Peru.
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The automated facility will be built at the Franklin 85 Logistics Center in Carnesville. Kemp’s office said the development significantly expands the retailer’s existing infrastructure in the state.
Walmart currently operates 209 stores and Sam’s Clubs along with 11 supply chain facilities in Georgia, employing more than 65,300 associates.
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In the 2025 fiscal year, officials said the company spent more than $26.2 billion with Georgia suppliers, supporting more than 167,600 supplier jobs across the state.
“This massive investment from Walmart in a rural part of our state will not only create new, good-paying jobs for hardworking Georgians, it will also allow them to work close to home rather than commuting to a larger city for work,” Kemp said. “Every Georgian should have opportunity, no matter their zipcode and Walmart is helping us deliver on that promise.”
The governor’s office said Walmart designed the planned facility to expand its same-day and next-day shipping capabilities across the country.
“As customer expectations continue to evolve, investments like our new fulfillment center in Carnesville help us deliver the speed, convenience and reliability customers count on,” Karisa Sprague, senior vice president of supply chain for Walmart U.S., said. “We’re excited to join the Carnesville community and create meaningful career opportunities where associates can grow and build their future with Walmart.”
“An investment and job-creating project of this magnitude will deliver generational opportunity for Franklin County and communities across northeast Georgia,” Pat Wilson, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, said.
Wilson also celebrated the news on a more personal level, as a longtime Franklin County resident.
“Having grown up in Franklin County, I know what it means to see an investment of this scale come to a rural community. Walmart’s decision to build and grow here is a testament to the strength of this community and the opportunities that exist beyond Georgia’s major metropolitan areas,” Wilson said.
Construction on the new fulfillment center is scheduled to start in late 2026.
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