Sen. Boozman Tours Big River Steel Superproject

The sight of a $1.3 billion steel mill being built south of Osceola was something to behold, the state’s senior senator said Friday afternoon.

Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., took a tour of the Big River Steel construction site, along with city and county officials and company CEO John Correnti.

The mill is expected to create at least 2,000 construction jobs over the next two years as well as 525 jobs once the mill is completed.

Ground was broken last September for the site just off U.S. 61. The company is expected to produce steel for the automotive, oil and gas, and energy industries, officials said last year.

Boozman said the tour was the first time he’s seen the project.

“It was good to see it in its infancy,” Boozman said. “It is really interesting.”

During the 2013 legislative session, state lawmakers approved issuing $125 million in general obligation bonds to help with the project.

After the groundbreaking last fall, construction workers began moving dirt.

Correnti said at least 450 construction workers are on site now to get work done. The biggest obstacle so far has been Mother Nature.

“Right now, we are just praying for the weather,” Correnti said.

The area was hit hard earlier this year with snow, sleet and freezing rain, while rain has delayed construction over the past several weeks.

There has been good weather in the past several days, which has helped with construction. Construction workers could be seen Friday afternoon, kicking up dirt all around the site.

The site is within driving distance of the Mississippi River and a large river port. Several other companies have built or are building facilities along the river.

Boozman, who serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, said he was interested in the river port dredging issue.

If a port is dredged deep enough, larger ships and boats can dock there with little difficulty.

The port at Osceola is already being used by both manufacturing companies and farmers who bring cotton, rice and soybeans to the port to head south to New Orleans.

As for trade, Boozman said he supports the idea of “not free, but fair trade” and that the mill would be able to compete with anyone in the world.

OFFICIALS’ TAKE
Earlier this week, Osceola Mayor Dickie Kennemore said the construction at Big River Steel and other projects have been “a godsend” for the town.

Kennemore said his city’s sales tax figures have gone up 36% so far this year, bringing an additional $30,000 a month with an average $100,000 a month being collected.

Correnti said he believes the project could provide a “life changing” experience for residents in the town and the region.

“It will be uplifting people, staying home (instead of moving off),” Correnti said.

Correnti said he expects people within a 150-mile radius to be interested in working for the mill with a possible minimum salary of $75,000 a year.

With that amount of payroll in the area, Correnti said he also expects car dealers and construction companies to benefit from the opportunity.

The project has been a good partnership between federal, state and local officials as well as business, Correnti said.

“John (Correnti) has been acting like an expectant father,” Boozman said of Correnti’s work to get the project off the ground and to the first phase.

“(If so), I want triplets,” Correnti said.

The first phase is expected to be completed by March 2016, with the project expected to be fully completed by July 2016.