TURNER FIELD
Miller Brewing Company
Buys Turner Field 1976-1979

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Miller Brewing comes to Turner Field, Albany, GA and the articles written at the time say it best:

(Click on article for enlarged view.)

Who knew in 1940, at the beginning of World War II when the small Philip Morris advertising man dressed in his uniform and trademark cap roamed the downtown streets of Albany shouting "CALL FOR PHILIP MOR-RIIS" how much of an influence this company would have on Albany, Georgia and Turner Field.

An excellent corporate citizen for Albany, Miller Brewing has actively participated in marketing Albany for Albany, the place to be. This ad was a part of the Albany Chamber of Commerce Ad Division explaining why others have chosen Albany, Georgia.

Congratulations to Miller Time Leaders:

Mayor James H. Gray and the City of Albany
Chamber President Edward Freeman and the Albany Chamber of Commerce
County Chairman Paul Keenan and Dougherty County
Georgia Governor George Busbee and the
Georgia Department of Industry & Trade
Albany Water, Gas and Light Commission
Senator Al Holloway and Dougherty Legislative Delegation
Leonard Ledbetter and Georgia's Environmental Protection
Turner Field Steering Committee
Southwest Georgia APDC
Southern Railway
General Services Administration
Georgia Power Company
Georgia Chamber of Commerce

Congratulations also to the staff Team for Miller Project:

Lamar Clifton, Albany Chamber
Charlie Gatlin, Albany Chamber
Ran Fairburn, Steering Committee
Walter Rodemann, Water, Gas and Light
Steve Roos, City of Albany
Carl Leavy, Dougherty County
Abner Israel, Payroll Development Authority
Julian Holland, Congressman Dawson Mathis' Office
Frank Young, Southern Railway
Jim Steed, Georgia Department of Industry & Trade
Michael Lott, Georgia Power
Bob Murrah, SW Area Planning and Development
David Coker, King & Spalding Attorneys
Warren Moody, General Services Administration
James V. Davis, Attorney for the City of Albany
Jesse Walters, Attorney for Dougherty County

Facts and Figures in 1979 about Miller Brewing in Albany, GA:

• Miller Brewing purchased 1707 acres at Turner Field from the U.S. Government for $3,300,000.
   

• Miller built a $247 million brewery, utilizing financing available through the Albany Dougherty Payroll Development Authority. They are a tax paying citizen.
   

• The brewery occupies 1.2 million square feet. Limited production began in 1980 with the addition then of 1400 jobs, creating a total economic impact by 1980 of $10 million per year. (Link to Miller page for up to date figures)
   

• Property not actually utilized for the physical facility is a beautified buffer area. Long range plans in 1980 were to create a possible tourist center on the site.

The bringing of Miller Brewing to Albany, GA required political knowledge and ability as well as local organizational ability. Morgan Murphy, Chairman of the Board of First State Bank, now joined to Regions Bank remembers the days spent in Washington getting this done. "Finally, after several days of cooling our heels in the Congressional offices," he said, "Congressman Dawson Mathis told us to come with him. We went to the snack area of the US Congressional office buildings where Congressman Mathis found the head of the GSA. He button holed him saying, 'these people are waiting for you to release this land now.' The response was 'is that all you want. It will be done today.' and it was." According to Morgan, however, the actual words used by the Congressman were not printable. "I guess," said Morgan, "that sometimes there is a time and a place to be crude, rude and impatient. This time, it worked. And we went home on that afternoon flight. The deal was done."

(The plant was planned and introduced to Albany.  (Left-Right) Governor George Busbee, Chamber of Commerce President, Ed Freeman, Miller designers, Weissman and Murphy, and finally, Albany Mayor, James H. Gray, Sr.  Photo taken by Larry Patrick of Heritage Photography, Albany, Georgia.)

Albany celebrates the topping out of the new Miller Brewing Plant, Albany, Georgia (below).

(Left-Right) Miller Brewing Company's President and CEO, William ("Bill") K. Howel; Georgia Govenor, George Busbee; and Albany Mayor, James H. Gray, Sr.

And Miller really does come to Albany!

This photo was taken from a page in the 1988 Albany Chamber of Commerce Magazine.  It features an ad appearing in the February 21, 1988 Albany Herald where it proudly announces Miller Congratulates all employees.....  It was reproduced in Lamar Clifton's book, A First State Corporation Legacy, page 31.

Albany is proud of Miller Brewing in so many ways. The company strives hard to be an excellent corporate citizen both to the community and to its employees. Miller Brewing is pro active in the arts, in workforce development, in education and in social issues, working in these and many other ways for the betterment of the community and its people.

See Miller page for more current information on the Albany, Georgia plant.