Hill's Pet Nutrition announced Wednesday that it would build a new plant in Emporia, generating 100 manufacturing jobs for Lyon County.
Emporia beat out four other sites, including the company's headquarters city of Topeka, to land the project.
Others in the running were Gardner, Ottawa and Harrisonville, Mo.
The 300,000-square-foot plant will be on an 80-acre location just south of Norfolk Iron and Metal and a new REG biodiesel plant in western Emporia.
The company is best known for the Science Diet and Prescription Diet pet foods.
The Kansas Legislature passed a bill earlier this year to try to keep a new Hill's plant in the state.
The legislation offers an income tax break to manufacturers that locate in Kansas by the end of 2009 if they invest at least $100 million in a plant, employ at least 100 people and pay better-than-average wages.
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cowboy (anonymous) says…
Wonder if the local eco/devo folks even knew about this new plant plan ?
Kookamooka (MJ Browne) says…
I wonder why Lawrence wasn't among the cities they were considering? I'll bet the cost of land was too high. How long is it going to take before there is a solution. The greedy developers are holding our city hostage.
Bubbles (anonymous) says…
There isn't any meat packing plants in Lawrence.
crazyks (anonymous) says…
Ottawa lost out because Hill's has a heart, something that most corporations don't have anymore...
The site they wanted here wasn't large enough, and would have required nearby land to be purchased as well. While Hill's was willing to do this, the property owners said no.
Ottawa was going to go the strongarm route, and use eminent domain to force the landowners to sell, whether they wanted to or not.
Hill's was horrified, and said no to this idea. They said that if the landowners didn't want to sell, they would find another location. They refused to force people to give up their land.
Though I'm sorry Hill's is going to be elsewhere, I applaud the reason why Ottawa lost.
And shame on the officials in Ottawa for even considering it.
cowboy (anonymous) says…
Lawrence has a great labor pool just no jobs that are worth a sh!t , one might remember there is a large dog food factory here already , were the city eco gurus off at another "All America city " trip instead of keeping an eye out for new businesses ?
dorothyhr (Dorothy Hoyt-Reed) says…
Ottawa used to be home to a small dog food operation. I think it was called Bingo dogfood. It was corn based. Some days it smelled like burnt popcorn.
crazyks (anonymous) says…
Bingo was a locally owned and operated dog food producer. I'm pretty sure they're out of business now, but I'm not sure why.
erod0723 (anonymous) says…
Thank God they didn't choose Harrisonville. That town is the armpit of the U.S.