LUIGINO'S INC. CHANGES MIND ABOUT PARKERSBURG PLANT - Would Have Provided 600 Jobs

(03/21/2003)

The frozen food company Luigino's Inc. has scrapped plans to build a $36 million food processing plant in Parkersburg that would have brought up to 600 jobs to the area. The change in plans was announced by the state Development Office yesterday. No reason for the change in plans was given in a two-page news release from the Development Office. "Gov. Bob Wise and the appropriate officials continue to work closely with the company, as well as Wood County officials, to explore and assess the current situation," the announcement said. Wise joined Luigino's owner and chairman Luigino "Jeno" Paulucci at a groundbreaking ceremony for the plant last November, along with Parkersburg Mayor Jimmy Columbo. Plans seemed to have been on and off before, after the first "coming to Parkersburg" announcement in 1999 by then-Governor Cecil Underwood. The Council for Community and Economic Development awarded a $25,000 bonus to Development Office Director David Satterfield in January, specifically mentioning Luigino's among the reasons for the bonus. EDA members had promised to lend $6.3 million last year to the Luigino's project, although the loan never closed.

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