Anticipation ahead of Airbus announcment builds

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - There's a lot of anticipation in Mobile this weekend over the expected announcement Monday that Airbus plans to invest $600 million in a manufacturing plant in Mobile.

The official word has not been made, but that hasn't stopped folks from getting excited. The big announcement is scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday at the Mobile Convention Center.

The Battle House Hotel downtown wasn't welcoming to media cameras Saturday.

The hotel may be the site where state and local leaders, along with Airbus officials will meet for dinner Sunday evening.

Governor Robert Bentley has also unofficially indicated that the President of Airbus will be checking into the Marriott Hotel on Airport Blvd Sunday.

Alabama Senator Richard Shelby did say he'd be in town on Sunday during a satellite interview with FOX10 News anchor Bob Grip Friday.

"I'll be having dinner with a lot of very important people from Mobile, and also people from around the world. We're anticipating a very positive announcement but we have to wait and wait on that announcement," Shelby said. "We're not there yet."

The news we're waiting on has been reported in Reuters.

The report said the Mobile assembly plant would produce four A-320 passenger jets every month, starting in 2017.

The story also said the plant would create a significant number of direct jobs, and could attract many smaller companies needed to provide components for the new passenger planes to the region.

Tanisha Davis remembers the disappointment many felt when Mobile got it's hopes up about a possible refueling tanker contract with the military, only to see the contract, and the expected jobs snatched away by Boeing.

"A lot of people were expecting to get jobs, and I feel like if they had brought it down here that would have opened up a lot of opportunities for the community," she said.

Ken Austin, who is back in Mobile for a family reunion, is confident the deal will happen this time around.

"We grew up here in Mobile. Went to school here, Murphy High School, and just real excited about jobs coming back home," Austin said.