Sen. Roger Bedford, Vina Mayor D.W. Franklin and Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow announce funding for Vina’s industrial park Monday morning. | Nathan Strickland/FCT

An announcement Monday put the Vina Industrial Park on the map with funds totaling $1,555,000 going towards park renovations.

Sen. Roger Bedford and Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow announced two separate funds had been secured during a press conference Monday morning.

The first, totaling $655,000, was secured to extend the sewer line from Red Bay to the Vina Industrial Park located on Alabama 19.

“It is very important to prospective industries looking to locate in an industrial park that all utilities are in place,” Bedford said. “This is a huge step towards that goal.”

Bedford said an additional $900,000 had also been secured to construct a speculative building inside the park to help attract industry.

“Prospective industries are also looking for buildings,” he said. “Having a speculative building already constructed in an industrial park can save a prospective company months of construction time.”

The Vina Industrial Park is the largest in the county with 400 acres and is located only 18 miles from the new Interstate 22.

Officials believe since the Toyota Corolla plant near Tupelo, Miss., will soon be running with a full crew that will open up multiple avenues for industry suppliers bringing in various job opportunities to Franklin County.

Construction on the Vina speculative building is expected to begin later this year.

Vina Mayor D.W. Franklin said he is glad to see the park get the funding.

“We have a good industrial park here, unfortunately we have often been eliminated before we even have the chance to compete due to the lack of services,” he said.

“We are encouraged by the news of the sewer line extension and the construction of a new speculative building. We expect that these two things will bring prospective projects into Vina.”

Executive Director of the Franklin County Development Authority Mitch Mays said it has been a long battle, but now the Vina Industrial Park will be a prime piece of land for potential industry.

“I am very pleased to see the funds come in and help extend the sewer and build a speculative building at the Vina park,” Mays said.

“As a whole, I believe Franklin County has made great strides in the improvement in infrastructure to support industry. Sen. Roger Bedford and Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow have both been strong supporters of industry and this is a great demonstration of their continued support.”

Funding for the sewer and speculative building projects were secured through the Alabama Bond Commission, on which Senator Bedford serves as a member.

Morrow said keeping the jobs we have and bringing in new jobs are top priorities for he and Bedford.

“When you present an area to an industrialist, you have to have something to offer,” Morrow said during the conference.

“We are now poised for something big to come into Franklin County, which will be able to harbor the hard working workforce that has been established over the years.”