Alabama’s Big 10 Mayors are following “The Game Plan”.

“The Game Plan”, as it is known, is an economic incentives package designed to reauthorize, expand, and modernize the ways Alabama attracts and develops businesses.

The proposed legislation will be centered on development criteria, including increasing the amount of incentive funds given to businesses and creating more sites for businesses to relocate. It will also help in expanding innovation and tech industries, investing in rural areas, and supporting veteran, woman, and minority owned small businesses.

“Alabama is a great place to do business, but we can’t rest on our laurels,” the group of mayors of the state’s 10 largest cities said in a news release. “As we compete with our neighboring states and states across the country to attract top-tier businesses and industry, we must ensure that we maintain an environment where businesses and their employees can thrive.

“Economic development incentives are critical in allowing that to happen. Our state’s incentive programs have proved incredibly effective in bringing investment to our state, and the return on investment we have seen since these programs were first implemented show the evidence of their success.”

The Big 10 Mayors also urged the Legislature to “reauthorize and expand our incentive packages so that we can continue being successful in competing with neighboring states for jobs and economic growth.”

The mayors are pushing the Legislature to act quickly, as well.

“We urge the Alabama legislature to swiftly approve this package of economic incentives legislation so that our state can remain competitive and keep the jobs and businesses we have now, while attracting new jobs and investments into our economy in the future,” they said.

The Alabama Big 10 Mayors include Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling, Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba, Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox.

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.