Micron Picks Utah Site For Chip Plant -- 3,500 Jobs Go With $1.3 Billion Facility

BOISE - Micron Technology Inc. will build a $1.3 billion semiconductor plant in Utah, ending a nationwide search for a new manufacturing operation that will generated 3,500 jobs.

The Boise-based computer chip company said today it will start construction on the new plant this spring. It will be located in Utah County, south of Salt Lake City.

The new plant is part of Micron's expansion plan, announced last fall, that calls for the doubling of its semiconductor manufacturing capacity during the next four years.

Omaha, Neb., and Oklahoma City were both finalists for the new manufacturing plant. Sites in Washington state - in Lacey and the Tri-Cities of Richland, Pasco and Kennewick - had been semifinalists, but were knocked out of the running last month.

"This is a very exciting event and a red-letter day in the history of Utah's economy," said Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt.

"This is not simply a new business this is a new industry coming to our state," he said. "This really is an opening for us to step forward with clean, high-paying, effective jobs."

Micron Chief Executive Officer Steve Appleton cited the large tract of land in Utah that offers potential for expansion in the future as well as access to an interstate highway.

"It had a lot of things that interested us," Appleton said.

Utah County offered tax-increment financing for the plant and agreed to pay for up to $25 million in infrastructure improvements such as sewer, roads and water.

The Utah Legislature also added a sales-tax exemption for replacing manufacturing equipment to one already on the books for purchasing new machinery.

The state also highlighted the proposed site's proximity to Brigham Young University and the University of Utah. Micron had said it wanted to be near a university that could meet its employees' continuing and advanced education needs.

Besides computer memory chips, Micron makes computers and custom-manufactured computer boards.

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