ATMOS Energy — one of the businesses announced during the grand opening — completed construction and opened in September. The company is the service provider for TXU Energy, maintaining its power and gas lines.  Construction is full steam ahead on the Capgemini Energy project, and the building will be called the Palestine Service Center. Supporting TXU Energy with customer service and billing support, the company is expected to hire more than 300 people.

Water and sewer lines are currently being laid and the contractor is getting ready for a big push after Thanksgiving to have the facility ready by early December.  The contractor explained that his crew will grow from 78 workers to between 125 to 150 people working around the clock to get the building completed on schedule. 
“Right now they are working in the mall and temporary buildings in the city,” said Palestine Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Brian Malone. “If we have the building completed and ready for use by Dec. 31, then we do not have to pay for the temporary work space.”

Capgemini Energy currently employees more than 290 people and has a commitment to have 300 employees after one year of operations.  “We are on target for the 300 employees,” said Anita Avery, manager for Capgemini Energy. “We have 215 (billing) employees and 78 call center employees currently in training.”  Avery explained that the company hopes to grow that number in the future.  “We will have a payroll of $8 million,” she said. “All that is money that will go into the local economy.”  Additional dollars from outside corporations such as these are a great boost the economy, Malone explained.  “The new jobs created and the resulting additional dollars will be circulated throughout the community to retailers,” he said, adding that the Capgemini project was a phenominal one for Palestine. 

“We got the proposal request Dec. 22 of last year from the state and they wanted it the next day,” he said. “To go from a proposal to 300 jobs this quickly is just amazing.”  Also scheduled to be built in the business park are the Willow Creek Office Suites, which will be the new home of the PEDC.  “They have been working for a long time closing all the legal transactions,” Malone said. “In the mean time they have been working with the architect and the engineer to get everything in line to present to the city for the platting and approval process.”

According to Malone, financing is currently underway for a fourth addition to the park — Willow Creek Imaging Center, but no transfer of land has taken place at this time.   “We do have an incentive agreement with them for a forgivable loan if they meet the employment and investment target,” Malone said, adding that as of Thursday he had yet to see a preliminary site plan for the building. 

The business park is doing better than expected for attracting businesses, Malone explained.  “To complete the park and have four businesses come within the first year is great,” he said. “Most business parks, such as the one in Kilgore, have had the park for several years and just received their first tenant.” 

PEDC President Fred Richardson is impressed with the look of the park.  “Just look at the view,” he said as he looked through one of the windows of the Palestine Service Center for Capgemini Energy. “It is great that when you look out the window you see beautiful rolling hills and trees and not the air conditioner of another building.

“Palestine has a first class product to sell to businesses looking to locate in the East Texas Area.”