Economic developers from the Dothan area and Northwest Florida are working together to bring a "mega" industry to the region in an effort to provide more jobs to the area.
Neal Wade, the executive director of the Bay Economic Development Alliance, said area economic development representatives have identified several possible sites they hope will attract industries to the region.
“I thought what a natural partnership between Southeast Alabama, where you have a strong population base, and what we have here in Northwest Florida. You’ve got large tracts of land that could be potential sites for development,” said Wade, the co-chairman of the development effort. “You have a larger population there coupled with larger tracts of land and I-10 and U.S. 231. So I think it’s a perfect marriage of assets from Alabama and Florida.”
Wade said they’ve been looking at sites for several months, but have not identified a specific site because there are several that could meet a company’s goals.
Matt Parker, the president of the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce, said they’re working to develop a mega site or sites with large tracts of land, ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 acres.
“You just don’t find that kind of site overnight, so by working together it gives us our best chance for success,” said Parker, the co-chairman of the effort. “We’re right at the point when we’re going to get ready to be pre-certified. We’re going to be marketing it.”
Parker said the next step for the economic development effort is getting some environmental assessments and a labor force study completed to ensure potential companies that an available workforce exists in the region.
“It just helps us with our data to help promote our site, and better enhance our efforts for potential investors,” Parker said.
Wade said they’re looking at manufacturing, automotive and large distribution facilities to potentially fill the sites.
“This is a unique effort because you’re going across state lines, and you’re going across county lines. You’ve got all of us working enthusiastically working together, and that doesn’t happen a lot,” Wade said. “It is a rare perfect storm where we’re all working toward one common goal -- bringing jobs to Southeast Alabama and Northwest Florida. That’s what’s it’s all about, jobs.”
“I believe a mega site that is very close to I-10 that captures the work force of both Alabama and Florida and puts together an aggressive incentive package,” Wade said. “I think companies have to at least look at it and that’s all you really want.”
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