The Woodbury County supervisors and the Sioux City city council have signed resolutions requesting funding from the Iowa Department of Economic Development to bring a company that makes wind turbine blades to western Iowa. Sioux City Mayor Mike Hobart says T-P-I would locate a facility in the south ridge industrial area that is south of the airport.

Hobart says they’re asking for approval at the May 20th meeting of the Department of Economic Development for grants and funding for the infrastructure for the project. He says the money would develop the site for the company.

Woodbury County Supervisor George Boykin is optimistic they will get the company to come to Sioux City. He says they have been in negotiations for the last 90 days or more and the state funding would put them one step closer to bringing in the new plant. Sioux City economic development director Marty Doughty says the 40-million dollar plus project has the potential for some 500 jobs.

T-P-I has a plant in Newton that employs around 500 people.

By Josie Cooper, KSCJ, Sioux City

Radio Iowa