Opelika is about to get a major jolt from a Wisconsin energy player. Faith Technologies, an electrical and energy firm based in Wisconsin, plans to pump roughly $79 million into converting the former Joann Fabrics distribution center into an advanced manufacturing facility that is expected to create about 200 full-time jobs. The Opelika City Council signed off on the deal at a special meeting and approved performance-based incentives tied to hiring and equipment timelines.
Project details and council vote
The City Council approved a Project Development Agreement at a special-called meeting on Feb. 24 that cleared a package of tax abatements and other incentives that officials said had to be in place before equipment could arrive, according to WSFA. The project was first brought to wider attention when the Milwaukee Business Journal reported on the planned $79 million redevelopment and alerted regional outlets to the investment.
What Faith Technologies will make
FTI, which operates under its Excellerate brand, said the Opelika facility will turn out engineered electrical assemblies and modular power systems used in hospitals, EV charging networks and large commercial projects. The company described the site as advanced manufacturing rather than a data center. The project is expected to represent about $79.25 million in investment and to employ roughly 200 people, with an average pay near $65,000. Initial hiring goals call for at least 50 full-time employees by September 2026 and for the facility to be placed in service by February 2027, according to Faith Technologies and local reporting in the Opelika Observer.
Local concerns over "data center" rumors
At the public hearing, residents pressed city leaders for clarity after flyers and online chatter suggested the property might be turned into a data center. City economic development director John Sweatman and FTI real estate development manager Matt Rehbein both told the council that the project is a manufacturing operation, not a data center. Sweatman said, "It will never have the power capacity at that site to even entertain the idea." Local broadcasters reported that the special meeting was called so equipment could arrive while the tax abatement remained eligible, according to WTVM, which covered the public reaction and council discussion.
Why Alabama keeps winning big projects
State officials say the investment highlights Alabama’s appeal to infrastructure and advanced manufacturing firms, pointing to available land, access to power and a favorable incentive climate that recruiters often lean on. Observers caution that data centers and related infrastructure typically bring large capital spending but relatively modest long-term headcounts compared with construction jobs, a pattern that has shown up in coverage of Alabama’s recent data center boom. Business Alabama and WBRC provide additional context on those regional trends.
What the incentives look like
Under the agreement the council approved, the package includes a 10-year abatement of state and local non-educational ad valorem property taxes and exemptions for certain construction sales and use taxes, excluding those tied to education. It also provides a 15-year city exemption for non-educational ad valorem taxes and job-performance incentive payments that can total roughly $570,000 over 10 years. The deal adds workforce training reimbursements and local-purchase incentives. All payments are contingent on the company meeting hiring and investment benchmarks, according to local documents and reporting summarized by the Opelika Observer.
Next steps
FTI said equipment is scheduled to arrive soon and that hiring will begin later this year, with a goal of having the plant in service by early 2027. City officials said they will monitor the project’s performance requirements and that incentives will be paid out only as FTI meets the agreed benchmarks, according to Faith Technologies.
