SPRINGFIELD, Ga. — OpenAI is giving Effingham County $2 million to help build trails at Atlas Park, a planned recreation destination near Highway 80 and Sand Hill Road. The grant is the latest community investment from the company behind the proposed Project Camellia data center in Effingham County.
OpenAI Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar joined county officials Thursday at Atlas Park to announce the grant. The money will help pay for trails as part of the first phase of park improvements funded through the county’s 2022 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) program.
The grant comes from OpenAI’s $80 million community investment fund, which the company established in connection with its proposed data center.
During an interview later Thursday at the Mars Theatre, where she attended the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce’s Future Shock: Catalyst Business Summit, Friar said she was impressed by the park and its potential for outdoor recreation.
“It’s beautiful,” she said. “I’m a big hiker by nature, so I want to go hiking out there.”
Plans for Atlas Park include walking and biking trails, pickleball courts, boat docks and RV camping areas.
“I’m excited for just the walking and the biking and so on that can happen for local residents,” Friar said.
Investments guided by community needs
Friar said OpenAI plans to distribute its $80 million in community funding over several years. Rather than deciding on its own what projects to support, she said, the company wants to hear from residents about what matters to them.
“I don’t like to ever show up and tell people what they need,” she said. “That is a surefire way to not make friends. Instead, you show up and ask, ‘What would they like? What do they need?’”
According to the county, a public opinion survey helped guide OpenAI’s decision to fund the Atlas Park trail system.
The grant follows OpenAI’s $4.8 million commitment to cover breakfast and lunch for Effingham County School District students during the 2026-27 school year. The funding is intended to ease the cost of school meals for families.
Friar said participation in school meals has increased by nearly 50% since OpenAI began funding the program.
The company’s community investments are tied to its proposed Project Camellia data center, a major development at Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub that has prompted local discussions about growth and its effects on the county.
Plans for Atlas Park
Atlas Park is being developed on a former sand mining property near Highway 80 and Sand Hill Road. The long-term plan centers on a lake covering about 138 acres and includes a wide range of outdoor recreation and community facilities.
Plans call for trails, basketball and volleyball courts, pickleball courts, an outdoor arena, event venues, a swimming beach, camping areas, fishing and boating opportunities, and access to the Ogeechee River.
The $2 million grant will help advance the trail system, which is expected to connect different areas of the park and give residents and visitors places to walk, bike and exercise.
County Manager Tim Callanan said the grant will help the county move forward with the project.
“Atlas Park represents one of the most exciting recreational opportunities our county has undertaken,” Callanan said in the county’s announcement. “OpenAI’s commitment allows us to accelerate a key component of this project.”
Katie Comer, OpenAI’s community engagement representative, said the trails will give families another place to spend time outdoors.
“This $2 million grant will help create trails where families can walk, bike and spend time together,” Comer said. “We’re proud to support the county’s work to make Atlas Park a place the whole community can enjoy.”
The county said it will provide updates as development progresses, including information about the trail system, construction milestones and other planned park amenities.
