It was a big day back in 2015, when then-Gov. John Kasich announced that a Thailand company called PTT had intentions for constructing something called a ‘cracker’ plant in Belmont County.
What we knew at the time was that it was connected to the gas and oil industries, so it made sense because of all the well pads, water trucks, and superloads we’ve encountered on local roadways. They said that it’s going to be big, taking up all of lower Dilles Bottom, and that didn’t even surprise the folks around here because everything associated with those businesses seems to be, well, big.
That includes the petrochemical facility’s price tag of $10 billion, but the numbers associated with temporary employment during the actual construction process? Huge.
In Beaver County, Pa., where Shell-America is building a $6 million plant, as many as 6,000 trades employees have worked on site simultaneously. Because the same is expected in Belmont County, communities throughout the Upper Ohio Valley have initiated preparedness programs.
- In Moundsville, Mayor Phil Remke and City Manager Rick Healy have been communicating with potential developers for both commercial and residential properties, and council members have discussed the possible needs for the police and fire departments.
- Soon after taking office, Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott created an ad-hoc committee on industrial development and named Peter Holloway as the chair. That committee offered more than 30 pages of suggestions, and downtown Wheeling does have empty office buildings.
- Martins Ferry Service Director Scott Porter has explained on The Watchdog Network that several property demolitions have taken place – and more are scheduled to take place – in an effort to increase public safety and to make way for any potential development.
- A new focus in St. Clairsville, as explained by Mayor-Elect Kathryn Thalman in “Politics to Change in St. Clairsville,” will be adopted by reforming the process involved with opening a new business in the city will be addressed and simplified as much as possible.
- And the residents of lower Dilles Bottom? Those folks are just hoping for a fair deal from PTT officials so they can find a new home
But it’s been so very frustrating for all involved since 2005 because of promises made and broken promises realized with postponements because of design difficulties, the merging with a partner (Daelim), and then a new design process. Sure, there was a private meeting in a private garage, but that’s all the news that emerged. The rumor, though, is that President Trump is expected to stop by and welcome PTT-Global America to the effort to “Make America Great Again” while on a re-election campaign visit.
But it’s yet another wait-and-see situation for folks on both sides of the opinion page, and that’s understandable because where is that amusement park anyway?
