TULSA, Okla. — Governor Kevin Stitt announced the state reached an agreement with a major company in a press conference Friday.
The agreement is contingent on the state legislature passing around $245 million in funds to develop the area around the MidAmerica Industrial Park.
"It's a five million-square-foot building under roof," Stitt said. "It's one of the largest in the country, just an amazing project. When you see it, but you need infrastructure, you need roads, so there's a few little T's to cross, I's to dot."
- Previous coverage: Oklahoma legislature passes Act to lure a Fortune 500 company to Oklahoma
Stitt didn't name the company but called it "Project Josie."
The governor was asked if Project Josie is the former name of Project Ocean.
"Correct," Stitt said.
This sparked suspicions the company may be Panasonic, which has been rumored to be coming to Oklahoma since the signing of the LEAD Act. When asked if the agreement is a done deal, Stitt said the company signed the LEAD agreement and development agreements just need to be worked out with the legislature.
He said the location would be a $5 billion investment for the company, so there are a lot of nuts and bolts involved, but he said he is excited about where the deal is at.
Stitt said if need be, he thinks using some of the state's $6.1 billion in rainy day funds to ensure the agreement would be the right thing to do.
"When I think about a use of these funds to make a project like this happen, that's generational for Oklahoma, it's the right thing to do and it would be amazing for our state," he said.
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