Selma Growth Study – Our Economy and More Friends

Jim Hodo, President of American Apparel, Inc. which landed a $50 million federal contract in late 2010,
with Wayne Vardaman at the Centre for Commerce

M. Wayne Vardaman, Sr. has been President of our Economic Development Authority, since 2002 at the Selma & Dallas County Centre for Commerce. The Economic Development Authority markets Selma and Dallas County to new industry. It developed “Team Selma” in 2002 as a forum for community decision makers to come together to support new companies who relocate to Dallas County. The Selma and Dallas County Centre for Commerce was created in 2003 when the Economic Development Authority (The EDA), the Chamber of Commerce, the Tourism & Convention Bureau, and the Leadership program came together in one location at 912 Selma Avenue. Each of these organizations maintains autonomy as they share workspace and expenses in the beautifully renovated 1904 Carnegie Library building.

• The organizations which make up team Selma are usually disjointed in most communities – Team Selma is an innovative approach and the results have led to transcending all political and social issues, fostering good relations and economic growth.

"Dallas County is a nice area to raise a family and has all the attributes of a small community. Yet, it is close enough to larger cities to avail one of extensive cultural activities. Also, traffic to and from the workplace is not a problem. Dallas County is made up of a diversity of people that are caring and considerate. There are many examples of someone in need being helped by individuals and the community at-large." - Wayne

"If you like historic homes, this is one of the best places in America. We also have unique access to the best natural resources in the eastern US and a diverse geography: trees, water, foothills, prairies, with Montgomery 35 miles away, Birmingham and the University of Alabama in just over an hour, and we're 3 hours to the Gulf Coast. You simply can't get our combination of small town charm, tremendously inexpensive real estate low taxes, and such easy, traffic–free access to larger city amenities – that's why we are attracting business as well as new residents." - Jim

Tim Wood
2010 Chairman
Selma-Dallas County Centre for Commerce
Tim reviews new things happening in Selma and encourages
new physicians coming here to invest in our community
to grow their financial security for the long term
(Running time 1:19 minutes)
Click Here to Play
Apple/iPad

Selma is growing with tourism and beautification initiatives, and he also points to federal programs in place that provide tax benefits to employers in non-urban locations in our state – see directly below. Our community is still very open to entrepreneurs and investment in franchise businesses while our Team Selma markets to major industry. Tim sees Water Street renovations, growth at the hospital and at our local colleges as more great signs for the long term future of our community. If you are a business-minded professional and want to meet a few local economic development leaders, Tim would enjoy meeting you on your interview – he is profiled in Our Selma.

Federal Programs! In his video Tim mentions incentives available to businesses! Companies considering relocation to Selma and Dallas County, as well as residents who wish to start businesses/companies, may be entitled to federal, state, and local incentives, and are invited to contact the Selma EDA for information on:

• Renewal Community, Enterprise Zone, Capital Credit Program, Industrial Revenue Bonds, Property Tax Exemption, and Site Preparation Grants.
• Other State and Federal Programs include: Industrial Access Roads, ADECA Economic Development Grants (used for Infrastructure), Economic Development Administration, Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT), USDA Rural Development Loans and Grants, and Small Business Administration HUBZone.

Growth in Industry, Tourism, Lifestyle, Academics, and Healthcare:

Extension road completed for easier access to Highway 80 from Craig Industrial Park

Craig Field sits on Highway 80, a 4-lane east–west connector of I-65 and I-59 through southern Alabama,
and a connector to I-85 in Montgomery, has rail, and full FBO services for recreation and corporate aircraft

Craig Field, formerly the busiest military airstrip in the country and former Air Force training base, decommissioned in the 1970s, is now one of four industrial complexes, which is expanding, with Team Selma aggressively marketing attractive incentive plans and pitching low costs of doing business combined with in–place sewer, water, rail, pre-wired fiber optics, a FBO municipal airport, onsite fire station, and jet fuel tanks, along with an executive golf course and a growing list of high profile tenants.

Craig Field Facilities/Services & Information:

• In 2010 a new FBO building and self-fueling stations for charter or recreational planes has been constructed, and it has a fire station – the EDA is marketing the field to aviation testing companies.
• More than 800 new jobs have been created in Selma and Dallas County due to growth of automotive supplier companies here. Especially local Hyundai suppliers are expanding to meet the demands of the manufacturing plant in Montgomery: Hanil E-Hwa, which makes interior trim, purchased a 50,000sf spec building to add new lines and warehousing and are currently adding additional equipment. Renosol Seating has added a third shift.
• Daily use FBO with 8,000' lighted runway at airport (1,000' overruns = 10,000')
• CAT 1 landing system
• Resurfaced runway in 2005–2006
• Available covered private plane hangars (rent is just $150 per month) – hangar and fuel costs cheaper than Montgomery
• Jet Fuel for Charter and Corporate jets
• Alabama River and inland docks (part of state system)
• Aggressive financial incentives (tax abatements, enterprise zones, zero cap gains rates, accelerated depreciation schedules, et. al.)
• 4 Industrial Parks with 1,500 acres prepped for new tenants
• On Highway 80 – 4–lane federal highway, with sewer, rail (2 railroads), fiber optics
• 9–hole Golf Course
• Fire Station
• 1 million gallon water tank

South Dallas Industrial Park, right, is one of four (4) in Dallas County

Photo Tour of Craig Field and Industrial Park

Selma Industry and business growth prospects are compelling – Craig Field, with its airstrip and facilities already in place, has been reinvented into the largest of 4 industrial parks in our area.

State and Regional: A compelling combination of factors like affordable land, a trained workforce, state and local incentives, and signs of growth, exist not only in Selma and Dallas County, but through our state. To date, four (4) auto manufacturers were attracted to Alabama – Honda, Toyota, Mercedes, and Hyundai. As major auto assembly plants create numerous supplier jobs, Hyundai's location in Montgomery has positively affected our area and Dallas County.

In Selma we have four industrial parks with full infrastructure in place are in Selma and Dallas County. Five Hyundai suppliers are located in the Craig Industrial Park, just minutes from Selma, and employ a total of 800. 1,500 acres are available pre-wired with fiber optics, power, with ready sewer, water, and rail. Selma has infrastructure uniquely in place that other communities our size simply don't have, and within 30 miles of Selma we have 10,000 acres of public land available. Dallas County may also have some of the lowest property taxes in the country – another draw for industry.

• Castle Rock Industries, a biomass facility, is under construction in and will anchor our South Dallas Industrial Park: capital investment of $120 million in five phases, ultimately resulting in 130 new jobs. This park has a site that has been recently designated as an AdvantageSite – certified by the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA).
• Selfield Industrial Park is home to a large FEMA staging/storage/repair facility for mobile homes used during Gulf Coast or regional disasters.

New Hampton Inn on Medical Center Parkway, and our Historic Water Ave has renovation and new projects

An ideal mix of history with growing modern amenities in every facet of life – that’s Selma!

• Selma Tourism continues robust numbers. At the corner of Waters Avenue and Broad Street is a new building designated for a Voter’s Rights Interpretive Center by 2012 which will grow local tourism by 100,000 per year – see the Selma to Montgomery March Interpretive Center and meet Park Ranger Anthony Bates in History/More Stats.
• Selma Lifestyle amenities are clear signs of a growing community – from new facilities for recreation and events, to major companies and franchises that invest in new areas when population and traffic numbers are reached. We have an indoor mall anchored by Belk’s and JC Penney, Bath & Body Works, Foot Locker, and more stores, as well as charming stores and family restaurants in Selma – see them in Life in Selma.
• Selma Academics: State-of-the-art buildings and facilities at WCC are models for community colleges and their important programs – such as RN and health and imaging technology, are here. The State of Alabama’s State Trooper Academy finished its construction on the WCC campus in 2010. And Concordia College’s 37 acre expansion was needed to accommodate its growing student population. More than 2,500 college students are in our area, plus in excess of 150 full-time and adjunct professors.
• Selma Healthcare at Vaughan Regional! The millions invested on our hospital campus and facilities upgrades in the late 2000s and our current focus on growing cardiology services continue to promote Vaughan Regional Medical Center as a seven-county beacon of healthcare services.

More Companies in Dallas County:

• International Paper (County's largest employer)
• Bush Hog, LLC (sold in 2010 to Alamo Group of Texas)
• New Gas Concepts d/b/a Dixie Pellets was bought by Zilkha Biomass, a company in Texas
• Globe Metallurgical
• Kyungshin/Lear (Fortune 100/Wiring harnesses/1st tier supplier to Hyundai)
• M&B Railroad
• Henry Brick Company
• La Bour Pumps – Peerless Pump Co. (industrial pumps)
• Hanil E–Hwa (400 employees 1st tier supplier to Hyundai – 210,000 SF facility)
• Meadowcraft (500 employee/outdoor patio furniture – 400,000 SF facility) – bought in 2010 Home Casual Company of Wisconsin and now uses the name Plantation Patters
• Honda Lock of America (Car locks) – recently underwent an expansion project in 2010
• Taylor Made (Shipping/trucking)
• Crown Laundry (commercial laundry)
• Cahaba Valley (Lumber, Mulch, and Timber products)
• Renosol (Tier 2 foam/rubber seating for autos supplier)
• Rayco Industrial, Inc. (300 employee/special welding)
• Pioneer Electric Coop (300 employees)
• State Trooper academy
• M&B Rail
• American Apparel, Inc.
• Innovation Center
• Citation
• FEMA
• Global Security Glazing
• Ross Neely Systems
• Waters, Inc.
• Bellsouth
• Talton Communications

Business Outside Industrial Parks:

County Road 145 widened and paved for faster access to Highway 80.
Rail Project completed to provide additional access to Craig Industrial Park and first–time access to Dallas Industrial Park.
2–year option secured on 190–acre site to attract large industry company.
Wage and Benefits Survey of Dallas County employers recently completed.

Enlarge

Resources:

Typical EDA Release (Castlerock) - PDF Brochure

Additional Thanks:

Menzo Driskell, Director, Craig Industrial Park, 334–874–7419
Wayne Vardaman: 800–335–1332, www.selmaeda.com
Tom Lee: 334–874–3623, www.cityofvalleygrande.com

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