Christine Rappleye

Beaumont Enterprise

1/10/08

Port Arthur - The billions of dollars in industrial expansion planned for South Jefferson County have been a boon to the City Council and Economic Development Corp.'s efforts to bring business to the city, officials said Wednesday after a joint meeting of the two groups.

More companies have been inquiring at the EDC, said Keith Daws, board president, after the meeting.

"It's supply and demand," he said.

If they can find the funding, the Economic Development Corp.'s officials are planning to start work on two different studies, including one with former Jefferson County Judge Carl Griffith for a city strategic economic development plan.        

The other study would examine establishing a tax incentive zone in the business park on West Port Arthur Road.

The business park is expected to have double the number of businesses this year as three contracts for land were approved just before the new year.

Three businesses are already out there and one is being built.

Council members also said they'd like to know if a tax incentive zone designation could help the redevelopment of the city's West Side and downtown.