Century, FL car plant may start by January

Originally Published by the Pensacola News Journal

Vehicle assembly could bring 1,100 jobs to Escambia County's north end

By: Jamie Page • October 18, 2008

A Pensacola company looking to build an electric vehicle assembly plant in Century hopes to start work on the facility by January, said Century Mayor Freddie W. McCall Sr.

"It's on a fast track," McCall said.

Project Green Leaf — which includes local hotel owners Jay and Nash Patel — is looking at an existing facility in Century's industrial park to assemble fully electric vehicles that are expected to provide 231 jobs on startup and up to 1,100 within five years, McCall said.

The site being eyed is 6081 Industrial Blvd., the former site of Helicopter Technology Inc., McCall said. However, the building isn't readily available.

The town, which owns the mortgage on the building, is moving toward foreclosure on the building. The former occupant owes the town money and is believed to be in the Philippines, McCall said. It's unclear when the matter might be settled.

"(The Patels) are in a hurry; they have also asked for 25 acres of land in the industrial park to build a facility if they don't get the building," McCall said.

Art Rocker, an executive with the company, met with McCall on Friday in Flomaton along with Flomaton Mayor Dewey Bondurant and other Escambia County, Ala. officials.

"The meeting was to show a joint effort between the two counties," McCall said. "It is immaterial whether (the plant) goes here or in Flomaton. The taxes from it would be great, but it's going to help us no matter which way it goes. It's jobs for our people I am most concerned about."

Rocker couldn't comment on details of the proposal while in negotiations.

But he confirmed it's not a competition between Flomaton and Century, "the two are working together."

The Patels, owners of LHS Companies, which operates hotels in Pensacola and Gulf Breeze, couldn't be reached for comment and did not attend the meeting.

"If they did go into Flomaton now, it sounds to me like it would be in a temporary building while they're building their facility in Century," McCall said.

However, Project Green Leaf is looking at a building for sale in Fort Payne, Ala. to possibly locate a facility that would produce plug-in stations for electric vehicles, said Jimmy Durham, executive director of DeKalb County Economic Development Authority.

"We are looking at it right now but the county hasn't made any decision," Durham said. "Of course, they are asking (for financial incentives) like any industry. We do statutory tax abatements here. They are looking at more nonstatutory abatements to add to that. We haven't come up with any terms yet."

The key reason the Patels want to build the assembly plant in Century is because it's an Enterprise Zone, a distressed area targeted for economic revitalization and growth that offers tax incentives to businesses locating there.

"If they put $10 million worth of equipment in there, for example, they will get about $3.8 million in incentives back (from the state)," McCall said.

Alabama doesn't have enterprise zones.

As proposed, parts would be shipped from an electric car plant in France and assembled in Century. The vehicles would be sold here, McCall said.

The company anticipates producing 150 vehicles a month and paying an average starting salary of $38,400, including benefits, he said.

The vehicles are four-wheel drive and look like Willys Jeeps, having a maximum speed of 50 mph and maintaining a charge up to 75 miles. They would sell for about $13,000, according to a presentation given by the Patels in Century.