About the Downtown Development Authority

Purpose 

The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is a project driven entity that plans and manages the downtown business district. The goals of the DDA are committed to the improvement and revitilization of Downtown Tifton through development activities, business recruitment and retention activities, and capital improvement projects. 

Downtowns are important because they represent the heart and soul of a community. A healthy, vibrant downtown is an indicator of the economic and community conditions of a City and County. This is very important as those conditions contribute to the overall growth, economic potential, and perception. Downtown revitilization success is critical to our ability as a region to retain and grow existing businesses and talented workforce as well as to attract new businesses, industry, and investment. 

Downtown Tifton is an accredited National and Georgia Main Street Program, and we are committed to historic preservation-based community revitalization. Downtown Tifton is proud to be designated by the Georgia Main Street Program as a Georgia Exceptional Main Street (GEMS) community. Georgia Main Streets represent some of the strongest central business districts in the state and within the Southeast. 

The Downtown Development Authority's office is located at 220 East Second Street, Suite B. in the heart of the downtown business district. 

Meetings

• 12 pm
• 3rd Tuesday of every month
• 100 Central Avenue South
  Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce Conference Room
  Tifton, GA 31794

The public is welcome at all meetings and is invited to hear about the exciting projects that the Downtown Development Authority is working on.

Members

The Downtown Development Authority is facilitated by a Board of Directors who act as catalysts for economic development in downtown Tifton. The Downtown Development Authority Board members serve in a leadership role on new improvement projects and programs within the DDA boundaries and are very passionate about making downtown Tifton a thriving, vibrant place. The board of directors and staff work hard to encourage entrepreneurs and investments, design useful public spaces, and preserve our historic buildings.

• Dr. Steve Rigdon, Chairman
• Ray Cross, Vice Chairman   
• Hal Baxley 
• Mary Glynn Hendricks 
• Jay Mullinax  
• Jared Ross
• Dr. Margaret Richardson-Nixon
• Abbey McLaren, Executive Director