Hyundai-POSCO Louisiana Steel\u2019s $5.8 billion steel mill near Donaldsonville is expected to spur a wave of industrial investment, infrastructure improvements and population growth on Ascension Parish\u2019s west bank, prompting the Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership to examine how a similar project transformed a Georgia community.<\/p>\n
HPLS held a ceremonial groundbreaking on Sept. 4 on its RiverPlex MegaPark facility, which is expected to employ more than 1,400 people directly at an average salary of $95,000.<\/p>\n
A new analysis<\/a> from The Partnership compares the Ascension Parish project with West Point, Georgia, where Kia announced a $1.2 billion auto assembly plant in 2006. Kia has since invested more than $1.9 billion in the plant, which employs 3,200 people and, together with suppliers, supports more than 14,000 jobs in the region.<\/p>\n The investment also attracted suppliers and other development. About 30 supplier projects representing roughly $950 million in investment and 5,000 jobs landed in Troup County, where West Point is located.<\/p>\n Poverty in Troup County fell from a peak of 21.9% to about 17%, and West Point\u2019s median age dropped from 45 to 31, according to the report.<\/p>\n Gains extended across the region: every surrounding community now has unemployment below the national rate, including Chambers County, Alabama, which fell from 17.5% in 2009 to 2.6%.<\/p>\n Ascension Parish could see similar ripple effects as infrastructure is built around Hyundai\u2019s project.<\/p>\n The Port of South Louisiana is developing a deepwater dock, Entergy Louisiana is adding high-voltage transmission infrastructure and Union Pacific is extending a rail spur. La. 1 is also slated to be widened to four lanes from south Donaldsonville to La. 405, where a new parkway will provide access to RiverPlex. CF Industries and Linde have already announced projects at the 17,000-acre industrial park.<\/p>\n Workforce investment is following as well. River Parishes Community College is developing a $30 million training center<\/a> in Donaldsonville scheduled to open in early 2028. RPCC also began offering process technology courses at Donaldsonville High School this fall.<\/p>\n