Economic board approves incentives for 2 businesses

The Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development Board approved two company incentives Friday, including:

• Up to $2.5 million in a tax rebate over 10 years for a food services distributor that would add 200 to 225 new full-time jobs, giving the existing Utah facility 450 to 475 total jobs.

The company — whose name, location and financial information were not disclosed — originally was offered a tax rebate of up to $1 million. But the company is facing increased costs because the original site offer has been rescinded. The new jobs are projected to pay 192 percent of the county median. Its capital investment would be $29 million. The approval could mean $8.86 million in new state revenue over 10 years.

• Up to $750,000 in Industrial Assistance Fund money to Viracon, in the form of $3,000 per job for 250 new manufacturing jobs in Washington County.

The company, a subsidiary of Minnesota-based Apogee Enterprises Inc., produces commercial windows and specialty glass. It would create 100 to 145 jobs in the first year, jumping to 250 by the third year. Entry-level positions the first year would pay $23,920, or 117 percent of the county median of $20,300. Wages would total more than $58 million over 10 years. Its capital investment would be $25 million. New state revenues over 10 years are projected to be nearly $8.2 million. It is getting a local incentive of up to $1 million through cash rebate of property taxes.

Viracon has narrowed its expansion choices to two locations after initially considering more than 10 cities. Utah is competing with Tucson, Ariz., which has offered nearly $4 million in incentives.