Report: Arizona town misses out on ammunition factory
Oct 22, 2015, 5:06 PM | Updated: Oct 23, 2015, 2:52 pm
PHOENIX — An Arizona town reportedly missed out when an ammunition manufacturer decided to expand, despite the company getting its start in the state.
KNOX News reports Advanced Munitions International was considering its founding city, Payson, for its global headquarters and manufacturing facility. However, the town was proved to be too small.
“We have such a small footprint, it was difficult to find a large enough space to put together a site,” [Payson Mayor Kenny Evans] said. “We worked with them for close to a year and were almost within a few hundred yards of getting them a site.”
Evans also said the state was not as willing as some others — including Texas and Tennessee — when it came to incentivizing AMI to build the facility in Payson. Evans claimed Williamson County, Texas officials offered incentives in the neighborhood of $20 million, but that has not been confirmed.
The company instead opted to open up shop in Alcoa, Tennessee. It is building a $553 million facility that will employ more than 600 people.
AMI will maintain a smaller operation in Payson and will employ about 70 people.
AMI began as Advanced Tactical Armament Concepts in 2010 and originally produced ammunition for police departments. It has since expanded to the military and civilian markets.
