ABERDEEN, S.D. (AP) — The Aberdeen City Council has extended the building permit expiration date for a long-delayed beef packing plant.
The Aberdeen American News reports that the date for Northern Beef Packers' permit has been extended from Dec. 31 of this year to the end of 2012 without additional fees.
The land was secured for the plant in 2006. Construction had stalled, but the project received new life when a group of Korean investors took over in 2009.
Councilman Clint Rux says he's in favor of the beef plant but wonders if the city should extend the building permit for only five or six months to help give the company some motivation.
The $100 million plant will slaughter 1,500 cattle per day and employ more than 600 workers when fully operational.
