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Japanese automakers Toyota and Mazda have announced plans to build a $1.6 billion joint-venture auto plant in Huntsville, Alabama. It will eventually employ about 4,000 people. (Jan. 10)

Media: Associated Press

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Latest on the Toyota-Mazda factory coming to Alabama (all times local):

8:15 p.m.

Alabama's total incentive package to land Toyota and Mazda's new U.S. factory will top at least $700 million after local incentives are added.

The Huntsville City Council on Thursday approved a $320 million local incentive package for the factory. That is in addition to $380 million offered by the state in tax abatements, investment rebates and the construction of a worker training facility.

The city's offer to the Japanese auto manufacturers included providing the land, building a road to the factory and property tax abatements worth $107 million over 20 years.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said the project will bring economic benefits to the region for generations. The factory will employ 4,000 people.

Photo: Albert Cesare, AP

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Akio Toyoda, Toyota Motor Corp. president, speaks during a press conference, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Montgomery, Ala., where the Japanese automakers Toyota and Mazda announced plans to build a huge $1.6 billion joint-venture plant in Huntsville, that will eventually employ about 4,000 people. Several states had competed for the coveted project, which will be able to turn out 300,000 vehicles per year and will produce the Toyota Corolla compact car for North America and a new small SUV from Mazda. (Albert Cesare/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP) less

Photo: Albert Cesare, AP

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Mark Yarbrough, Limestone County Commission chairman, Tommy Battle, Huntsville mayor, Greg Canfield, Alabama Secretary of Commerce, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Masamichi Kogai, Mazda Motor Corp. president and CEO, Masahiro Moro, Mazda Motor of America Inc. president and CEO, Akio Toyoda, Toyota Motor Corp. president, and James Lentz, Toyota North America CEO, during a press conference, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Montgomery, Ala., The automakers Toyota and Mazda announced plans to build a huge $1.6 billion joint-venture plant in Huntsville, that will eventually employ about 4,000 people. Several states had competed for the coveted project, which will be able to turn out 300,000 vehicles per year and will produce the Toyota Corolla compact car for North America and a new small SUV from Mazda. (Albert Cesare/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP) less

Photo: Albert Cesare, AP

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Governor Kay Ivey looks on during a press conference, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Montgomery, Ala., where the Japanese automakers Toyota and Mazda announced plans to build a huge $1.6 billion joint-venture plant in Huntsville, that will eventually employ about 4,000 people. Several states had competed for the coveted project, which will be able to turn out 300,000 vehicles per year and will produce the Toyota Corolla compact car for North America and a new small SUV from Mazda. (Albert Cesare/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP) less

Photo: Albert Cesare, AP

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Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey speaks during a press conference, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Montgomery, Ala., where the Japanese automakers Mazda and Toyota announced plans to build a huge $1.6 billion joint-venture plant in Huntsville, that will eventually employ about 4,000 people. Several states had competed for the coveted project, which will be able to turn out 300,000 vehicles per year and will produce the Toyota Corolla compact car for North America and a new small SUV from Mazda. (Albert Cesare/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP) less

Photo: Albert Cesare, AP

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Masamichi Kogai, Mazda Motor Corp. president and CEO, speaks during a press conference, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Montgomery, Ala., where the Japanese automakers Mazda and Toyota announced plans to build a huge $1.6 billion joint-venture plant in Huntsville, that will eventually employ about 4,000 people. Several states had competed for the coveted project, which will be able to turn out 300,000 vehicles per year and will produce the Toyota Corolla compact car for North America and a new small SUV from Mazda. (Albert Cesare/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP) less

Photo: Albert Cesare, AP

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Akio Toyoda, right, Toyota Motor Corp., speaks as Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, center, Masamichi Kogai, Mazda Motor Corp. president and CEO, listen during a press conference, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Montgomery, Ala., where the Japanese automakers announced plans to build a huge $1.6 billion joint-venture plant in Huntsville, that will eventually employ about 4,000 people. Several states had competed for the coveted project, which will be able to turn out 300,000 vehicles per year and will produce the Toyota Corolla compact car for North America and a new small SUV from Mazda. (Albert Cesare/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP) less

Photo: Albert Cesare, AP

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Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, right, Masamichi Kogai, Mazda Motor Corp. president and CEO, and Akio Toyoda, Toyota Motor Corp. president, applaud during a press conference, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Montgomery, Ala., where the Japanese automakers announced plans to build a huge $1.6 billion joint-venture plant in Huntsville, that will eventually employ about 4,000 people. Several states had competed for the coveted project, which will be able to turn out 300,000 vehicles per year and will produce the Toyota Corolla compact car for North America and a new small SUV from Mazda. (Albert Cesare/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP) less

Photo: Albert Cesare, AP

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Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey thanks, from left, Akio Toyoda, Toyota Motor Corp. president, and Masamichi Kogai, Mazda Motor Corp. president and CEO, during a press conference, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Montgomery, Ala., where the Japanese automakers announced plans to build a huge $1.6 billion joint-venture plant in Huntsville, that will eventually employ about 4,000 people. Several states had competed for the coveted project, which will be able to turn out 300,000 vehicles per year and will produce the Toyota Corolla compact car for North America and a new small SUV from Mazda. (Albert Cesare/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP) less

Photo: Albert Cesare, AP

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"If there ever was a slam dunk deal, this is a great one," Battle said.

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10 p.m.

Alabama has entered the fast lane in its bid to become a major auto making hub in the South, landing a coveted $1.6 billion joint venture plant of Toyota and Mazda that is to eventually employ thousands.

The new plant will be located in Huntsville, Alabama — already a hub for the region's aerospace industry — and will produce 300,000 vehicles per year, a combination of the Toyota Corolla compact car and a new small crossover SUV from Mazda. Production is expected to begin by 2021.

Toyota and Mazda will join Mercedes, Honda and Hyundai which operate assembly plants in Alabama. The Center for Automotive Research says Alabama is tied with Tennessee as the fifth-largest producer of vehicles in the country last year, according to the Center for Automotive Research

The Latest: Alabama incentives for factory top $700 million

Updated 9:18 pm, Thursday, January 11, 2018