COVINGTON, Ga. - The Covington/Newton County Chamber of Commerce celebrated the re-opening of the Welcome Center Tuesday after a brief closure due to water damage from a recent storm. 

"It was more than just a remodel of the visitor's center," Chamber President Ralph Staffins said. "We got a new roof on this entire facility, so it was a long process and a lot of wet days in between the start and the finish. We're glad to be done."

Staffins said an average of 40,000 visitors pass through the center per year. 

"We did get to be brought into this century because it was built in 1994 so now we do have some new stuff," Jenny McDonald, director of tourism and marketing for the Covington/Newton County Chamber of Commerce, said. 

The rennovation and repairs were done by JACO Contracting.