Monday, December 17, 2007
County, Opelika partner on site
The Lee County Commission agreed Monday to help the city of Opelika compete for a high-tech industry prospect expected to bring 500 new jobs and make a $173.5 million investment at a site adjacent to Interstate 85.
September 25, 2007
The Lee County Commission agreed Monday to help the city of Opelika compete for a high-tech industry prospect expected to bring 500 new jobs and make a $173.5 million investment at a site adjacent to Interstate 85.
Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller requested help from the commission to clear and grub about 150 acres for Project KT, the code name for a high-tech manufacturing facility looking at Opelika.
“We are recruiting a high-tech manufacturing facility that will bring over 500 jobs to Lee County,“ Fuller said. “They are going to invest $90 million in manufacturing equipment, $23.5 million in non-manufacturing equipment, $60 million in their building, for a total capital investment of $173.5 million.“
Fuller said he and the city’s economic development officials visited the industry’s head office in Seoul, Korea, a few weeks ago. Opelika is competing with another site in Alabama and sites in Georgia.
“This capital investment is going to be, by far, the largest in the history of Lee County,“ he said. “We realize this is a significant request and a significant commitment on behalf of the Lee County Commission.“
The county highway department helped Opelika secure another prospect in the past by clearing and grubbing the 30-acre Daewon America site.
“By the county agreeing to assist the city with this, we were able to secure that economic development project. (Daewon) turned out to be a $33 million capital investment, and they are going to employ 170 folks in high paying jobs,“ he said.
Because of a time element involved in getting the clearing and grubbing done, Fuller agreed to have a bulldozer and operator work side-by-side with the county’s road crew.
Lee County Highway Engineer Neal Hall told commissioners that he thought he could finish roads on the present paving list and do the clearing and grubbing on the 150-acre site.
“We may be finished with this (road paving) list by the next commission meeting,“ Hall said.