Hyundai-POSCO Louisiana Steel’s $5.8 billion steel mill near Donaldsonville is expected to spur a wave of industrial investment, infrastructure improvements and population growth on Ascension Parish’s west bank, prompting the Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership to examine how a similar project transformed a Georgia community.
HPLS held a ceremonial groundbreaking on Sept. 4 on its RiverPlex MegaPark facility, which is expected to employ more than 1,400 people directly at an average salary of $95,000.
A new analysis from The Partnership compares the Ascension Parish project with West Point, Georgia, where Kia announced a $1.2 billion auto assembly plant in 2006. Kia has since invested more than $1.9 billion in the plant, which employs 3,200 people and, together with suppliers, supports more than 14,000 jobs in the region.
The investment also attracted suppliers and other development. About 30 supplier projects representing roughly $950 million in investment and 5,000 jobs landed in Troup County, where West Point is located.
Poverty in Troup County fell from a peak of 21.9% to about 17%, and West Point’s median age dropped from 45 to 31, according to the report.
Gains extended across the region: every surrounding community now has unemployment below the national rate, including Chambers County, Alabama, which fell from 17.5% in 2009 to 2.6%.
Ascension Parish could see similar ripple effects as infrastructure is built around Hyundai’s project.
The Port of South Louisiana is developing a deepwater dock, Entergy Louisiana is adding high-voltage transmission infrastructure and Union Pacific is extending a rail spur. La. 1 is also slated to be widened to four lanes from south Donaldsonville to La. 405, where a new parkway will provide access to RiverPlex. CF Industries and Linde have already announced projects at the 17,000-acre industrial park.
Workforce investment is following as well. River Parishes Community College is developing a $30 million training center in Donaldsonville scheduled to open in early 2028. RPCC also began offering process technology courses at Donaldsonville High School this fall.
