Alabama officials try to lure Hyundai plant

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Alabama officials met with Hyundai Motor Co. representatives in Los Angeles Monday to persuade them to build a plant in Montgomery. <br> <br> Hyundai narrowed its search for a $1 billion assembly plant to locations in Montgomery or Glendale, Ky. The factory would employ at least 2,000 people, who would build sport utility vehicles. <br> <br> The Alabama officials from transportation, training, revenue and environmental departments worked on developing an incentives plan strong enough to lure Hyundai. <br> <br> The officials wouldn&#39;t comment about Monday&#39;s meeting. <br> <br> The group traveling to California included Finance Director Henry Mabry and Alabama Development Office Director Todd Strange. Attorneys from at least two Birmingham-based law firms also attended, as well as an official from the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce. <br> <br> Gov. Don Siegelman suggested the importance of the California talks at the State Democratic Executive Committee meeting Saturday. <br> <br> &#34;Monday will be a big day for Alabama,&#34; he said, never mentioning Hyundai&#39;s name. <br> <br> Representatives from Kentucky were scheduled for a similar meeting Tuesday. <br> <br> Hyundai spokesman Chris Hosford declined comment. <br> <br> Carrie Kurlander, Siegelman&#39;s spokeswoman, wouldn&#39;t respond to questions about Hyundai but said he&#39;s committed to economic development. <br> <br> &#34;The governor always looks to put the state&#39;s best foot forward to aggressively recruit high-paying jobs,&#34; she said. &#34;He does that today and he will do it tomorrow.&#34; <br> <br> <br>

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