Opelika is competing for jobs and capital every day — against other Alabama cities, against other states, and against every other place a manufacturer could put a plant. This page is Opelika Daily News‘ running record of that competition: the projects announced, the abatements approved, the training programs launched and the buildings that went up, organized by sector and updated as we report each story. #OpelikaEconomicDevelopment
Coverage of projects in Auburn, Valley and elsewhere in Lee County lives in our Economic Development category. This tracker is Opelika only.
Defense manufacturing
Hanwha Defense USA’s decision to make Opelika its U.S. integration and test site put the city in the national defense supply chain. ODN has covered the company in Opelika since 2005.
- Hanwha in Opelika: 21 Years From Bumper Beams to Army Howitzers — the full timeline, from a 2005 bumper-parts plant to a U.S. Army howitzer contract.
- Hanwha Wins Army Howitzer Contract Worth Up to $262 Million; Prototypes to Be Assembled in Opelika (Aug. 20, 2026)
- Alabama Lawmakers Tout Defense Role After Hanwha’s Opelika Howitzer Award (Aug. 24, 2026)
- Hanwha Defense USA Investing $2 Million in Opelika Facility, Creating 40 New Jobs (April 30, 2026)
- Hanwha Expansion Brings 25 New Jobs to Opelika (Dec. 19, 2009)
- Maxforma (Hanwha) Comes to Town (With Jobs) (April 20, 2005)
Automotive and logistics
Opelika’s Korean-anchored supplier base keeps expanding, project by project, through City Council abatements.
- Two Automotive Supply Expansions Bring 88 Jobs and $5.66M to Opelika (July 13, 2026)
- BS Logistics America and Yongsan Automotive USA Announce New Growth Projects in Opelika (July 8, 2026)
- City Council to Vote on Tax Abatements for BS Logistics America Expansion at Crawford Road (July 7, 2026)
Workforce and talent pipeline
Recruiting employers is half the job; supplying them with trained people is the other half.
- City Launches POW-R Workforce Initiative to Strengthen Talent Pipeline (May 25, 2026)
- Construction Ready Class Graduates in Opelika as Alabama Faces 3,000 Open Construction Jobs (Aug. 20, 2026)
- Opelika Hires New Workforce Development Project Manager (April 25, 2026)
- Goodwill and EAMC to Host Hiring Event With More Than 300 Open Positions (Aug. 17, 2026)
Housing and residential construction
More than 475 new rental homes are under way on the Society Hill Road and Gateway Drive corridor alone.
- Amenity Package Complete at Creekside Cottages, Opelika’s 225-Home Build-to-Rent Community (Aug. 27, 2026)
- Creekside Cottages Opens Leasing for 225 Build-to-Rent Townhomes on Society Hill Road (July 13, 2026)
- Continental Properties Breaks Ground on Springs at Opelika, a 252-Home Community (Aug. 17, 2026)
- Alabama’s Housing Bargain: What the Numbers Behind a Viral Chart Mean for Opelika (Sept. 6, 2026)
Downtown and retail
Historic Downtown Opelika is its own recruitment story.
- Opelika Main Street Launches Inaugural Downtown Awards (Aug. 12, 2026)
- Opelika Chamber Cuts the Ribbon on RyRowsie Boutique Downtown (Aug. 12, 2026)
- RyRowsie Boutique Opens at 229 S 8th Street in Downtown Opelika (July 19, 2026)
- Sushi Kingdom Adds a New Japanese Dining Option in Opelika (Aug. 17, 2026)
- The Bottling Plant Enters New Chapter With Fall Event Lineup, Including First Oktoberfest (Aug. 5, 2026)
Healthcare
Opelika-headquartered health care is one of the city’s largest employers and a recruiting asset in its own right.
- EAMC Reaccredited as Alabama’s Only Robotic Surgery Center of Excellence (Aug. 27, 2026)
- Opelika-Based Integrea Mental Health Wins $867,545 Rural Health Grant (Sept. 3, 2026)
- East Alabama Health to Take Over Management of Medical Center Barbour (Aug. 17, 2026)
Recruitment, infrastructure and recognition
- Opelika Strengthens Global Aerospace Connections at Farnborough Airshow (Aug. 3, 2026)
- Mill Village Roundabout and Roadway Improvement Project Opens for Bids (June 9, 2026)
- Auburn-Opelika MSA Earns Back-to-Back Mac Conway Award for Economic Excellence (July 13, 2026)
#Opelika Economic Development Have a project we have missed, or an update on one listed here? Email jerry@opelikadailynews.com.
