An open plot of farm land near M-52 and M-46 will be transformed into a 200,000 square foot solar manufacturing facility operated by Suniva Inc., based out of Georgia. The announcement was made by Governor Jennifer Granholm in a press conference Tuesday in Lansing.
“We have generations of skilled manufacturers here and we have people that understand the manufacturing industry,” said Saginaw Future Inc. President JoAnn Crary, who joined Granholm in Lansing for the announcement.
The $250 million enterprise will create 500 jobs over the next five years. The project was spurred by a $15 million Michigan Business Tax credit that helped Michigan beat out at least four other states in the bid. County leaders call it a much needed economic boost for the region.
"We'll have more people in school, more people buying homes, more people in the area,” said Saginaw Board of Commissioners chairwoman Bregitte Braddock.
“Where the population was decreasing, they (will) see it growing with a lot of opportunity where people would like to stay,” she said.
Officials are still in the financing stage now. They are looking to break ground by June of 2010. Construction will take about one year.
