Lawmakers finalize incentive to bring aluminum mill to Lowndes County

JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – The final incentives to bring a $2.5 billion aluminum mill that will encompass several facilities to Lowndes County are done.

Lawmakers passed a plan today that will give money to Steel Dynamics and turn a dream into reality on prairie land.

WCBI spent the day in Jackson with lawmakers and economic developers.

You could not keep the excitement surrounding Golden Triangle Development LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins under the state Capitol dome on Wednesday.

“This is a very big deal for the Golden Triangle, extended a lot of jobs, a lot of high paying jobs, a lot of tax money being generated for the schools. It’s just a big deal,” said Higgins.

A $2.5 billion aluminum plant that will create 1,000 jobs in seven years, not to mention spin-off construction jobs will fill the mega site, near the Steel Dynamics plant.

The new plant will be Aluminum Dynamics. Lawmakers said it’s a good project for Mississippi.

“When you look at the actual cost of the money that we are putting up here, we’re not borrowing any money for at least another three years and we may not borrow money then,” said Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann.

“This plant is a true game changer. It’s going to change the dynamics of families across the state, particularly in our area, and I’m just happy to be a part of this historical moment,” said Representative Kabir Karriem.

“Once you were out there on the tractor doing farm work and now it’s become a big mega site for steel mills, for helicopters, for Airbus, Aurora, Paccar… you know it’s just it’s really it is come to fruition,” said Senator Chuck Younger.

The fact the site was ready was a big factor in the company’s decision, as the Lowndes County site was competing with two other states to land the mill.

“There’s three projects that the company is going to do. There’s customers that are going to colocate with them. There’s a bunch of upside to this,” said Higgins.

“I anticipate other colocated industries to come to this site to take this aluminum and turn it into other things. So, I think you’ll see really a series of announcements coming out of this one,” said Hosemann.

EMCC leaders expect the school to play a critical role in training workers.

“We want to be a part of the training and educating of the workforce that’s going to be a part of this project,” said EMCC President Dr. Scott Alsobrooks.

Higgins will take this victory to add to the more than $9.5 billion worth of projects he’s brought to the Golden Triangle, but he says all the projects are different.

“It’s like asking ‘which one of your kids do you love the most’. You can’t pick,” said Higgins.

The average salary for workers at the plant will be $93,000.

A formal groundbreaking is expected before the end of the year.

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