I have had many of you ask about the new Olive Garden restaurant that is under construction in Statesboro Crossing. When will the restaurant be ready, and how can one get a job there?
       Recently, I stopped by the site and visited with the construction job superintendent Steve Harper of Venture Construction Company based in Norcross, Ga. It may be difficult to tell from the roadway, but tremendous progress has been made, and it appears as if the original projection of a spring opening by Mark Jaronski, director of communications for Olive Garden, is going to come to fruition.
       Harper said there has been quite a bit of interest in the project with dozens of people driving up and asking him about the particulars. "It really has been amazing," Harper said. "Everyone has been very friendly and curious. This has been unusual to say the least."
       Harper said the restaurant is scheduled to be completed by mid February. "We should make that deadline, but it is going to be close," he said. "The rainy weather has been an issue."
       The 7,500 square foot restaurant will seat 223 customers, and employ between 120 and 150 people. According to Olive Garden's website, about 30 days before the restaurant opens there will be a banner at the restaurant indicating that the restaurant is "Now Hiring." Applications for hourly employees are taken at the restaurant after that sign is posted.
       I have been told that an Olive Garden representative will be on site at the new Statesboro restaurant on February 17, at 9:00 a.m. to accept and process applications.
       Todd Manack, owner of Manack Signature Properties in Statesboro was the real estate agent involved with the land transaction resulting in the development of Statesboro Crossing. Manack remains involved with project and current lists many of the out parcels within the development that are for sale.
       "I wouldn't say that the sale of out parcels has been dazzling necessarily, but what is really important right now is the success of the tenants in Statesboro Crossing," he said. "One tenant has been so successful that they are seeking development of other locations with demographics very similar to Statesboro. It is being called the Statesboro model. I am so glad that people are beginning to see what we always thought was there. Statesboro is a very vibrant regional shopping destination."
      Olive Garden is owned by Darden Restaurants, Inc. which operates casual dining restaurants in North America and is publicly traded as NYSE:DRI. Darden Restaurants is the #1 casual-dining operator (in terms of revenue), with more than 1,770 restaurants in the US and Canada. Concepts under the Darden umbrella include Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, Red Lobster, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze, and Seasons 52.