Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Nextel proposal becomes formal-Cramer pledges support to Shoals' combined effort

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 16:20:36 -0500

Nextel proposal becomes formal-Cramer pledges support to Shoals' combined effort

By Mike Goens
Senior Editor
January 15. 2003 12:00AM

Shoals officials will present Nextel with a proposal to locate a call center at Southgate
Mall in Muscle Shoals. U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Ala. (second from right), was part of a
delegation touring the converted building Tuesday, led by Forrest Wright (far right),
executive director of the Shoals Economic Development Authority. JIM HANNON/TimesDaily

MUSCLE SHOALS – The Shoals' courtship of a customer service center will become formal
today.

Mayors of the area's four largest cities and commission chairmen in Colbert and Lauderdale
counties will put their signatures on an official proposal to Nextel.

The communications giant is considering the Shoals and Shreveport, La., for a
500-employee, inbound call center.

Nextel officials have solicited and given deadlines for the two communities to come up
with an incentive package to be considered in the decision-making process.

The six government entities have already said they are willing to put about $2 million
into the project. Council members and commissioners have signed off on the project.

Shoals Economic Development Authority Executive Director Forrest Wright met with those
government leaders Tuesday to discuss the project and proposal. He has asked them to sign
a letter to Nextel that puts the financial commitment on the record.

"We can't afford to get in a bidding war with Shreveport, but we have what I think is a
very strong offer," said Colbert Commissioner Rex Burleson. "It's an offer that shows that
we want them here and are willing to work with them."

Muscle Shoals has committed $1 million to the project, with Colbert County, Florence,
Lauderdale County, Sheffield and Tuscumbia contributing the other $1 million.

Other details of the area's proposal to Nextel were unavailable. However, the proposal
will likely include a request seeking a response from

Forrest Wright. "The plan is working."

The plan, when adopted, carried a critical disclaimer: With full funding and aggressive
implementation of the strategic plan and united cooperation from the entire community,
5,000 new job opportunities will be created over the next five years.

SEDA's staff is three members short from the total outlined in the strategic plan, board
members say. The staff has put in hundreds of overtime hours to take up the slack, without
compensation.

Treasurer Steve Smith told board members SEDA has received only $25,000 from its funding
sources in the current financial quarter.

"And we can't run SEDA on $25,000 a quarter," he said.

"We understand the position our local governments are in financially, and it's not
uncommon in other communities," Wright said. "We've done our part by operating in a
conservative mode.

"At the same time, the community made some aggressive demands (in the five-year plan), and
we all agreed that it would take aggressive funding and unity from the community as well.
I don't know if the governments alone can meet the demands that the community has
requested. The private sector must also get involved, and that's the way it should be
anyway."

SEDA's report also addresses the need for the Shoals to come up with an incentive program
to help compete for industrial projects.

It does suggest a funding mechanism for the program, though.

Area governments have worked together to prepare the Barton industrial site for new
businesses and deliver a $2 million incentive package to try to lure a Nextel call center
to Muscle Shoals, a project that promises 500 jobs.

"We must take steps to increase our odds when it comes to transitioning proposals to
serious negotiations and, eventually, new jobs," based on SEDA's annual report.

The organization's outlook encourages a renewed emphasis on coming up with incentive
programs that can be used during the critical phases of the process.

The document also seeks a focus on making existing industrial parks "development ready."

Wright asked board members to look over the action steps established for implementation of
five-year plan to determine if adjustments must be made.

Mike Goens can be reached at 740-5740 or [email-masked].

http://www.timesdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Site=FT&Date=20030115&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=301150335&Ref=AR&Profile=1011

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