A Tallahassee company wants to relocate here, bringing with it as many as 400 jobs over a three-year period, according to Dennis Cason, president of the Suwannee County Economic Alliance. Neither the name of the company or the nature of its business has been disclosed.

The site being considered is near the US 90/I-10 interchange, the focus of the so-called Catalyst Project, a joint state/county venture designed to bring industry to economically challenged areas. The county recently approved the purchase of a 100-acre tract in the area for $499,950.

Cason said securing the property and getting a commitment from the company would help open up funding from the state.

"Now that we know this company may come, this opens up different corridors for grant monies," said Cason.

The local project is part of the state Rural Economic Development Catalyst Project, designed to help counties in regions of "critical economic concern" attract industry. Each participating county helps fund a local Catalyst Project, creating shovel-ready sites so that businesses wishing to relocate or expand there can begin construction right away. "Shovel-ready" means utilities such as water and sewer are already in place.

The host county would benefit the most by having jobs in the area and revenue coming in. Surrounding counties that helped fund the project would make money based on a formula already in place. Participating counties in our region are Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Putnam, Taylor and Union. The cost of the local Catalyst Project is currently estimated at $9 million, with the state expected to foot most of the bill.

Diane Scholz, assistant Rural Coordinator for Gov. Charlie Crist, said the owner of the Tallahassee company is excited about the prospect of moving here.

"They like Suwannee County," Sholz said. "They want to be here. They are looking at the people, the restaurants and other businesses and like what they see."

Scholz said the way it looks now, the local Catalyst Project could be completed within the next year.

"We're hoping within a year we'll have the infrastructure in place," said Scholz.

"We have worked very, very hard and diligently over the last three years to make this project happen," said Cason. "It's been long and tedious, but if we can get those jobs here for Suwannee County, then it makes it worth it."

Scholz warned county commissioners at a meeting Tuesday night that if they hesitate, they could lose the prospective company and the Catalyst site itself.

"You have no other option for a Catalyst site," she said. "And if you don't act, then the Catalyst site could move to another county."

There are only four Catalyst sites in the state.