SINTON — The idea of a proposed $1.8 billion flat roll steel mill has drawn a lot of excitement in this small town.

For the city of just over 5,400 people, the project from Indiana-based Steel Dynamics could represent an opportunity for growth that would also bring at least 600 new jobs to the area. That anticipation was on full display Wednesday, when more than 200 people packed into the San Patricio County Civic Center in Sinton for a meet and greet with company representatives.

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Mark Millett, president and CEO of Steel Dynamics, speaks during a meet and greet at the San Patricio County Civic Center in Sinton on March 13, 2019.(Photo: Tim Acosta/Caller-Times)

"It's a home run if it happens," said 53-year-old Sinton resident Marty Israel.

They key word in that statement is "if."

That's because Steel Dynamics has not yet made a decision on where it will locate its new steel mill. The company announced in November that it was planning to build a new facility in the southwest United States, and would be looking at a number of potential sites.

However, Steel Dynamics has remained tight-lipped about which areas are being explored. CEO Mark Millett on Wednesday said the company is still considering "several" sites in Louisiana and Texas. The meet-and-greet came a little more than two weeks after San Patricio County commissioners unanimously approved a tax incentives package to woo the company to select the area for its new mill.

"Just look across the room — I think this is what San Patricio County is telling ya'll," San Patricio County Judge David Krebs said to Millett, gesturing to the gathered audience. "We want you all here in our area. We've got open arms — come on down to San Patricio County and be part of Texas and be part of our family here in the Coastal Bend."

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More than 200 people attended a meet and greet with representatives with Steel Dynamics at the San Patricio County Civic Center in Sinton on March 13, 2019.(Photo: Tim Acosta/Caller-Times)

Prior to those incentives being approved, commissioners had established a reinvestment zone on nearly 2,500 acres of land near Sinton, valued at nearly $3.7 million. That entire area won't be used solely for that project, though. It could also accommodate other industrial or manufacturing companies looking to locate to the area, company officials have said.

According to Steel Dynamics' incentives application, the proposed steel mill will sit on about 1,000 acres of land, though a large portion of that will remain undisturbed in order to serve as a buffer.

Additional incentives are still being considered by the Sinton Independent School District, which Millett described as the "remaining box" for the company to "check." He acknowledged that the unknown was how long it would take for the school board to make a decision. But he expressed his desire for a resolution sooner rather than later.

"The community has got (a) decision to make on the school board, and I hope personally that it's positive, and I hope it's relatively quick, too, because others are obviously competing for our business and I wanted to start breaking ground months ago," Millett said. "But, hey, we'll get there."

Sinton ISD Superintendent Chad Jones on Thursday said that an application for Chapter 313 tax abatements has been submitted to the Texas Comptroller's Office. It could be one to two months before the comptroller's office sends that proposed abatement agreement back to the district for approval by the Board of Trustees, he said.

Chapter 313 refers to the section of the state's tax code that allows for a private business to have its appraisal values limited as it relates to public school district property taxes.

What's at stake?

According to the U.S. Census, the median household income in 2017 in San Patricio County was $53,332 per year. In Sinton, that number falls to $39,279 annually.

Steel Dynamics' incentives application outlined annual salary ranges for the planned positions that range from $43,400 for service workers all the way up to $133,200 for officials and manager. Unskilled laborers could make nearly $55,000 per year, while skilled craft workers are looking at more than $81,000 annually, according to the application.

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From left are Steel Dynamics executives Barry Schneider, Glenn Pushis and Russ Rinn as they listen to the company's CEO Mark Millett speak during a meet and greet in Sinton on March 14, 2019.(Photo: Tim Acosta/Caller-Times)

Israel, who owns properties in Sinton and is in the oil and gas business, said that the manufacturing jobs proposed by Steel Dynamics would be great for the community. Some industrial projects, like Voestalpine's plant in Gregory, offered a lot of construction jobs, but far fewer permanent positions when work was done.

In Voestalpine's case, the plant was projected to create 190 permanent full-time positions.

"Those are all great deals for the tax base, but this is real, year-round paying jobs for this community," Israel said. "You're going to start capturing kids to live here in this community."

The project could also further development in Sinton and nearby communities, he added. The proposed facility — if it winds up in San Patricio County — would sit on land that is essentially undeveloped brush land.

"As much as I hate to see beautiful land like that destroyed, we've got to have some growth come from somewhere — real growth," Israel said.

Larry Thormaehlen, 55, lives in nearby Taft. He said he was hopeful that his town would also benefit from the jobs and possible growth that could come as a result of the proposed Steel Dynamics mill.

The city of Taft already has been taking steps to revitalize its downtown area in order to attract workers from the proposed Gulf Coast Growth Ventures project from ExxonMobil and Saudi Basic Industries Corp. That project — which will be sited in Gregory — is still undergoing the permitting process and has not begun construction yet.

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Taft resident Larry Thormaehlen poses a question to Steel Dynamics CEO Mark Millett during a meet and greet at the San Patricio County Civic Center in Sinton on March 13, 2019.(Photo: Tim Acosta/Caller-Times)

"I think it's a good idea," Thormaehlen said of Steel Dynamics. "As far as generating jobs, it's good for the local economy here. I think the potential is there."

But all of those possibilities center on that keyword that was a frequent utterance in Millett's speech — if.

The jobs will come, the growth could follow, and communities will develop further, but only if Steel Dynamics makes the decision to call San Patricio County home. Millett acknowledged as much following Krebs' plea to the company to select Sinton as its site, responding by saying "I think it's in your hands" as the crowd applauded the county judge's short speech.

Russ Rinn, executive vice president of metals recycling for Steel Dynamics, listens as the company's CEO, Mark Millett, addresses the audience during a meet and greet at the San Patricio County Civic Center in Sinton on March 13, 2019. Tim Acosta/Caller-Times

Attendees listen to Steel Dynamics CEO Mark Millett speak on the company and its potential plans for a site in San Patricio County during a March 13, 2019 meet and greet in Sinton. Tim Acosta/Caller-Times

San Patricio County Judge David Krebs, right, listens to representatives with Steel Dynamics address the audience during a meet and greet at the San Patricio County Civic Center in Sinton on March 13, 2019. Tim Acosta/Caller-Times

From left are Steel Dynamics executives Barry Schneider, Glenn Pushis and Russ Rinn as they listen to the company's CEO Mark Millett speak during a meet and greet in Sinton on March 14, 2019. Tim Acosta/Caller-Times