‘It’s a lot harder to do business today’: Locals react to Hyundai plant announcement
ASCENSION PARISH, La. (WAFB) - Just a couple miles west of Donaldsonville sits thousands of acres of sugar cane fields that are awaiting the development of Hyundai’s nearly $6 billion steel plant. It’s set to transform the supply chain in the states and also kick off a trickle-down effect for the local economy.
On a Monday afternoon, Leaders Chicken is one of the only places in the area open for lunch. People there are reacting to the announcement about the plant.
”It’ll help probably bring more new restaurants, since there will be so many people here,” Jonathan Rubio told WAFB.
Rubio is in the area for work and is stationed in Donaldsonville. He said the town needs a bit of a boost.
“I feel like it’s good for more opportunities for jobs and stuff like that,” Rubio said.
Just down the road is Gaston’s Barbeque and Beer, not drawing in nearly as much of a lunch-rush crowd. Its owners are hoping the nearly 1500 jobs the plant will bring will change that.
”That will hopefully give us the boost we need to get that revenue coming in, expand a little bit more, and do some more things,” the owner’s son David Hambrick said.
Along with the growth, Hambrick hopes the small-town charm sticks around.
”There’s always going to be that risk of too much growth too fast, but I think in the long run that is what this town needs because at the point that this town is at it is kind of stagnating,” Hambrick said.
Right in the smack dab of the historic district sits Merle Norman Cosmetic Studios.
”It’s a lot harder to do business today in a small town,” Susan Phillips said.
Phillips opened her store with her parents more than 45 years ago.
”I’m very excited about it I see a lot of exciting things happening here,” she said.
Prior to that 2029 start date, Ms. Phillips wants to make sure the investment happens locally.
”They have time to get a lot of these kids educated for their positions so that they can make good salaries,” Phillips said.
It looks like the state is committed to just that, announcing a partnership with local community colleges to get hands-on training. The Hyundai steel plant is sure to inject Donaldsonville with a much-needed boost, and for some, it can’t come soon enough.
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