City of Opelika

What City of Opelika does

The City of Opelika is a municipal government entity serving Opelika, Alabama in Lee County. It delivers the full suite of public services expected of a mid-sized U.S. municipality: police and fire/EMS public safety, municipal utilities including Opelika Power Services (a municipally owned electric utility with smart-grid capability and SmartHub billing), water and sewer, garbage and recycling collection, parks and recreation facilities (including the SportsPlex & Aquatics Center), a public library with makerspace and meeting rooms, planning/zoning and building inspection, municipal court, and economic development administration. Service delivery is hybrid: in-person at City Hall (204 South 7th Street), the Parks & Recreation Department (1001 Andrews Road), and the Public Library (1100 Glenn Street), supplemented by digital self-serve portals for utility billing, recreation registration, business licensing, and service requests.

The city's digital stack centers on ConnectOpelika, an AI-powered multilingual virtual assistant supporting two-way conversational communication in 75 languages, accessible via web chat and SMS to 855-955-LIKA. Adjacent digital infrastructure includes a GIS Data Hub for spatial and property data, an online recreation registration portal, the Notify Me alert system, and the Opelika News Flash subscription service. Communications are reinforced through On Track newsletter, the That Tracks podcast, and active social channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, YouTube). The 13 employees listed in the dataset appear to reflect tracked leadership and key staff rather than the total municipal workforce.

Revenue mechanics are characteristic of municipal government: occupational and property taxes, business license fees, utility and service fees (recreation, court, sanitation), and grants (SEEDS, CDBG, Mid South RC&D). The city recently enacted a historic occupational tax rate reduction. Service recipients are Opelika residents (utilities, recreation, public safety), businesses operating in the city (licensing, permitting, economic development services), and visitors (recreation facilities, events). Secondary stakeholder economics include site-selecting manufacturers whose capital investment decisions are supported by economic development incentives including participation in the Alabama Jobs Act, workforce pipeline programs (POW-R, FuelAL, OLWD), and industrial park infrastructure at Fox Run Business Park and Northeast Opelika Industrial Park.

Name

City of Opelika

Legal name

City of Opelika

Website

https://opelika-al.gov

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The City of Opelika is a municipal government in Lee County, Alabama, delivering public safety, utilities, parks, library, and economic development services to residents and businesses. It operates digital platforms including ConnectOpelika, an AI-powered multilingual citizen engagement assistant supporting 75 languages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Administration and Municipal Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Telephone Call Centers (56142)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Smart Cities & Urban Innovation Programs (Digital Planning, Civic Tech for Cities) (BPAIANAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Local & Neighborhood Communities (BPAMABAG)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Public safety services
• Utility and power services
• Parks and recreation programs
• Economic development incentives

Headquarters

HQ city

Opelika

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tax Revenue: The city collects occupational taxes and property taxes as primary revenue sources. The city recently implemented a historic reduction in the occupational tax rate as part of its commitment to economic growth.
2. Business License Fees: Revenue generated from business licensing operations within the city
3. Service Fees: Various municipal services including utilities (Opelika Power Services), garbage collection, recreation facilities, and court fines
4. Grants: The city receives state and federal grants including SEEDS grants for economic development, CDBG funding, and Mid South RC&D Council grants

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The City of Opelika operates as a municipal government providing comprehensive public services to residents and businesses, including public safety (police, fire, EMS), municipal utilities (Opelika Power Services), parks and recreation (SportsPlex & Aquatics Center, parks programs), a public library, economic development, building inspection and planning, environmental services, municipal court, and business licensing. Its flagship digital offering, ConnectOpelika, is an AI-powered virtual assistant upgraded in 2025 to support two-way communication in 75 languages, enabling residents to ask questions, submit service requests, and message city staff through a conversational interface.

Product overview

The City of Opelika operates as a municipal government providing a comprehensive suite of public services through both physical facilities and digital platforms. The city's digital portfolio centers on ConnectOpelika, an AI-powered multilingual virtual assistant that enables 75-language citizen engagement. The service ecosystem includes the Opelika Public Library (with sub-facilities like Makerspace and Cooper Auditorium), Opelika SportsPlex & Aquatics Center for recreation, Opelika Power Services with SmartHub billing and smart grid capabilities, GIS Data Hub for spatial information, and an Online Registration Portal for parks/recreation activities. Additional core services encompass Economic Development (with industrial parks and workforce initiatives), Public Safety (Police and Fire departments), Building Inspection and Planning, Environmental Services (garbage/recycling), Municipal Court, and Business Licensing. The city uses the Notify Me system for citizen notifications and maintains various online request and payment systems for permits, utilities, and other municipal services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ConnectOpelika: AI-powered virtual assistant providing two-way communication in 75 different languages for city services
• POW-R Workforce Initiative
• Opelika Latino Workforce Development (OLWD)
• That Tracks
• On Track

Products and services

• ConnectOpelika AI-powered virtual assistant providing two-way communication in 75 languages, enabling residents to ask questions, submit service requests, and message city staff through a text-based conversational interface.
• Opelika Public Library Public library system offering collections, digital resources, meeting spaces, makerspace, genealogy research, and community programs including the annual reading challenge for residents and visitors.
• Opelika SportsPlex & Aquatics Center Recreation complex featuring indoor/outdoor pools, fitness facilities, pickleball courts, and various athletic programs and memberships for residents and visitors.
• Parks & Recreation Programs Athletic programs, special events (Daddy Daughter Dance, Summer Day Camp, Fright Night, Freedom Celebration), and facility reservations for parks and recreation amenities.
• Opelika Power Services Municipal power utility offering SmartHub bill payment, outage reporting, outage maps, and smart grid technology for electricity distribution to residential and commercial customers.
• GIS Data Hub Geographic Information System platform providing city mapping data, property search, demographics, and spatial analysis tools for economic development.
• Online Registration Portal Web-based registration system for parks and recreation activities, programs, sports leagues, facility rentals, and SportsPlex memberships.
• Economic Development Services Business assistance including site selectors, property search, incentives and taxes information, demographics, industrial parks (Fox Run Business Park, Northeast Opelika Industrial Park), and workforce development initiatives for prospective and existing businesses.
• Public Safety Services Police Department with K9 Unit, SWAT, Detective Division, Patrol Division; Fire Department with stations 1-5, EMS/HAZMAT; community programs including Shop with a Cop and Citizens Police Academy.
• Building Inspection and Planning Building permits, inspections, zoning services, comprehensive planning, historic preservation, and subdivision regulations for development within city limits.
• Environmental Services Garbage collection, curbside recycling, trash and yard waste services, animal control, and street sweeping for residential and commercial properties.
• Notify Me System Email and text notification system for city alerts, news, calendar events, road closures, bid postings, and department-specific updates.
• Municipal Court Municipal court services including citation payments, defensive driving courses, court records requests, and Spanish interpreters available.
• Business Licensing and Revenue Business license applications, renewals, occupational taxes, and ABC license assistance for starting and operating businesses in Opelika.
• POW-R Workforce Initiative Workforce development initiative led by Opelika Economic Development to connect employers with workforce pipelines and talent attraction programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Attracted over $200M in recent capital investment from manufacturing companies
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, major, core and minor.

• Miele Manufacturing Inc.flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman-based premium household appliance manufacturer (125+ years history) established its first U.S. manufacturing hub in Opelika. The company reached milestone of 10,000th oven and range assembled within one year of production launch. The German Consul General of the Southeast visited the facility to learn about this significant investment.
• Hanwha Defense USAflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablishing a site in Opelika as the U.S. integration and test facility for Hanwha's family of K9 Mobile Howitzers, representing defense manufacturing investment in the community.
• GMB USA Alabama Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew automotive manufacturing operation announced by Mayor Eddie Smith as part of the city's manufacturing sector growth.
• Faith Technologies Incorporated (FTI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected Opelika as location for its newest manufacturing facility, representing major manufacturing investment and job creation project.
• Niagara BottlingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpened Opelika facility in early 2023 with initial capital investment of over $114 million creating 65+ jobs. Announced additional $35 million investment creating 18 new jobs.
• Daewon America, Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development Partner$46.2 million investment in Opelika for building expansion and new manufacturing equipment at Northeast Industrial Park, creating 100 new jobs.
• Car Tech, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutomotive parts manufacturer announcing $21.5 million expansion of existing Opelika operations, creating 40 new jobs.
• AGS America, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading automotive industry manufacturer expanding presence in Opelika with $3,595,874 investment in new advanced manufacturing equipment.
• City of AuburncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with City of Auburn on FuelAL Summer Intern Experience Program, bringing together university students for workforce development in the Auburn-Opelika area. Also partnered for GIS Day celebration and Alabama Arbor Week events.
• PRF Teaching MinistryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Financial Readiness Clinic FY2025 Q3 Series to provide financial education to Opelika residents.
• Southern Union State Community College FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpelika Industrial Development Authority (OIDA) contributed scholarship to workforce development initiative supporting local students.
• Mid South RC&D CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant provider to Opelika Fire Department for purchase of six Rapid Intervention Team kits for firefighter safety during emergency operations.
• Alabama League of MunicipalitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity participates in Alabama League of Municipalities initiatives including Live Locally campaign and professional certification programs for municipal officials.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• City of Chattanooga, TN: Mid-size U.S. municipality known for smart city investments (gigabit fiber, smart grid, AI pilots). Comparable in profile: smaller city branded around technology infrastructure as an economic development lever.
• City of Alpharetta, GA: Smaller Georgia municipality that has attracted major tech employer headquarters and emphasized a technology ecosystem. Comparable on the 'small city, big-city amenities' positioning for tech-oriented tenants.
• City of Auburn, AL: Immediate neighbor and MSA partner forming the Auburn-Opelika metropolitan area. They jointly run programs (FuelAL, GIS Day, Alabama Arbor Week) and are co-awarded the Mac Conway Award, making them the closest comparable public-sector peer.
• City of Carmel, IN: Highly regarded mid-size municipality for smart city investment, public-private partnerships, and roundabouts/ITS infrastructure. Comparable on the technology-forward small-city axis with similar sized population.
• City of Cary, NC: Mid-size municipality with a tech-forward brand, robust economic development of high-growth companies, and an emphasis on data-driven planning tools. Comparable on citizen service modernization at similar city scale.
• City of Peachtree Corners, GA: Georgia municipality widely cited as a U.S. smart city reference (Curiosity Lab, autonomous vehicle test bed). Comparable as a small-to-mid sized city explicitly branding around technology infrastructure and citizen engagement.

Broad incumbents

• City of Greenville, SC: Mid-size Southeastern city recognized for downtown redevelopment, public-private investment, and workforce attraction. Comparable as a peer on economic development storytelling and quality-of-place investments.
• City of Scottsdale, AZ: Mid-size city recognized for technology-enabled municipal services, performance measurement, and economic development branding. Comparable on profile of citizen-engagement programs and infrastructure investment.
• City of Huntsville, AL: Larger Alabama municipality with active economic development, advanced manufacturing base, and smart city initiatives. Comparable in industry mix (aerospace/defense manufacturing) and aggressive capital attraction strategy, but at substantially larger scale.

Regional players

• City of Hoover, AL: Alabama peer municipality with active commercial growth, retail/manufacturing attraction, and parks-and-recreation portfolio. Comparable as a same-state competitor for retail/tax base expansion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/opelikacitygov
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCbC211oOluLdYAAAoC8P9YQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/cityofopelika
• Instagraminstagram.com/opelikacitygov
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/city-of-opelika-gov

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City of Opelika