Verizon 'very bullish' on state

Work starts on HQ for 1,300 workers

Verizon Wireless held a post-groundbreaking ceremony Thursday at the construction site of its state headquarters in Huntsville, which will create up to 1,300 jobs. The 152,000-square-foot building represents an investment of more than $44 million.

"We're very bullish on Alabama," said Jim McGean, president-south area with Verizon. In Alabama, the company has invested more than $230 million in the last four years - with $100 million last year alone - to expand and enhance its wireless network, McGean said.

The company also has added 120 new jobs in the state in the last 18 months, he said.

"We're very excited about the prospects here," McGean said. The partnership between company executives and local and state business and government leaders who collaborated on the Huntsville project has been "phenomenal."

Verizon "could have placed this center anywhere," Gov. Bob Riley said. "Everybody wanted it."

He praised city, Madison County and state officials, along with the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce and the University of Alabama in Huntsville Foundation for working together on the project.

The nonprofit UAH Foundation administers land sales in Thornton Research Park, where the Verizon facility is being built. The park is off Old Madison Pike.

"This is another great day for economic development" in Huntsville and Madison County, said chamber Chairman Brad Jones.

Verizon's announcement in September that the new building would support up to 1,300 jobs was Alabama's biggest new jobs announcement in 2006.

The new building is scheduled to be "up and running" by the end of the year, McGean said, but could be completed by fall if the weather cooperates.

The building will handle customer service and business functions. More details will be provided in another month or so about the company's hiring process.

Verizon Wireless, based in Basking Ridge, N.J., has 65,000 employees nationwide and more than 59 million customers.