COVINGTON, Ga. - Covington/Newton County Economic Development Vice President David Bernd said a job fair for Three Ring Studios will most likely happen towards the end of this summer. The job fair was previously announced for February of this year, but delays in the project prevented that.

Bernd said Three Ring’s first priority is to find local workers.

 “In fact, a job … they’ve actually made a commitment that the first cut for people to come to the job fair will be Rockdale, Newton, Jasper, Morgan and Walton Counties would be the only ones allowed in for the first cut of the job fair and then it would be opened up after that,” he said.

He said there will be thousands of job openings in various fields.

“Right now between Newton and Walton County we have 800 jobs right now that we cannot fill. In fact, we’re going the wrong way,” Bernd said. “Eighteen months from now, we estimate that is going to be at 7,000. What’s the population of Covington? Thirteen thousand, so that’s half the population of Covington.”

Located on Highway 142 across from the Orchard Park Subdivision, Bernd said the estimated completion date for the entire project is 2022. Included in the project, Bernd said, is sound stages, back lot space, office space and more.

“Five years from now we’re going to look a whole lot different than we do today,” he said.

The Covington News will provide updates once the job fair has been officially scheduled.