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By Fred Guarino

The Lowndes Signal

Lowndes County will have an AdvantageSite as part of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA) Program.

The site, announced at Monday’s meeting of the Lowndes County Commission by the Lowndes County Economic Development Commission (LCEDC), is located at Interstate 65 and Tyson Road in Hope Hull near Hayneville, includes 735 acres and has existing water, sewer and electricity.

The site is located in Lowndes and Montgomery counties.

It also has access to CSX transportation and the property in the site is valued at $12,500 per acre.

Jim Byard Jr., director of the LCEDC, said, “The AdvantageSite designation is an excellent marketing tool for the LCEDC, as it proves that our site is ready for prospective industry, much of the preliminary work has been completed and we are ready to locate an industry and thereby jobs to Lowndes County.”

Thomas Ellis, LCEDC Chairman, said, “This designation is a signal to our prospects and to site selectors that Lowndes County is prepared and serious about industrial recruitment.”

And Carnell McAlpine, chairman of the Lowndes County Commission said,

“A lot of folks worked to make this happen, both from the public and private sector. This AdvanatageSite designation is a first for Lowndes County and l want to thank all of our partners.”

In addition, Ellen McNair of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce said, “The AdvantageSite designation of the I-65 Tyson Road Site is extremely important to our business recruitment efforts.” McNair, the chamber’s senior vice president of economic development said, “This designation proves to our clients that this site is ready for any prospective industry, and that we are able to meet short project timeframes.”

Byard said this is the first ever advantage site in Lowndes County.

According to the EDPA, the AdvantageSite Program is managed by the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, is a teamwork approach between the private sector and state and local governments geared toward having prepared product and materials ready for industrial prospects. Alabama currently has 59 active AdvantageSites throughout the state. The program is jointly sponsored by the Alabama Department of Commerce, Spire, Alabama Power Co., the North Alabama Industrial Development Association, PowerSouth Energy Cooperative, and coordinated by the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama. Representatives from each of the entities actively participate in application reviews and on-site visits to prospective AdvantageSite designees. AdvantageSite is a voluntary industrial site preparedness program created in order to make the state more competitive