Northeastern Mississippi and western Tennessee are abuzz with rumors over what automotive or tire company plans to build a significant production facility in the region.

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant has called the state legislature into a special session tomorrow to consider a batch of economic incentives to lure such a company to the state. The Jackson Clarion-Ledger stated on April 24 that the company in question is a “Japanese” tire company that wants to locate a plant in Clay County, Miss.
 
"I will issue a formal call (Wednesday) afternoon for the legislature to convene on Friday to consider an economic development package that will bring needed jobs to our state," Bryant said. "This is an exciting project and a great testament to the quality of our workforce."

Various state officials said the project would bring “600-800” jobs to the area, which is reportedly suffering from an 18% unemployment rate.

Some Mississippi legislators told the newspaper that they had expected the special session to be called for Monday, April 29, but that is a state holiday – Confederate Memorial Day – and so the session was moved to accommodate planned vacation travel by lawmakers and their staffers.

For his part, Bryant has said little about the project, other than stating that it was for Mississippi’s “automobile corridor.” Others have mentioned that the project was for an “automotive” plant.

The only tiremaker known to be actively considering building a plant in the U.S. is South Korea’s Hankook Tire Co.