Sitework nearly finished for Pepsi tenant at business park

Progress on a Pepsi MidAmerica customer service center at the Greater Cape Girardeau Business Park should become more visible soon, as sitework is nearly finished for the park's first tenant.

"We are just waiting for the weather to break so we can begin full force," said Larry Chambers, director of facilities for Pepsi MidAmerica.

The Marion, Illinois-headquartered company announced plans to build a $3.1 million customer service center about a year ago. The 18-acre site being developed by Pepsi MidAmerica will hold three buildings for offices, sales and transportation operations.

The opening of the center was planned for midsummer, but the construction schedule was slightly challenged by winter weather, Chambers said.

He said the company still expects to open the facility before the end of the year.

The company earlier this year opened an operations office in Cape Girardeau to handle human resources and hiring for the new facility. Seventy to 75 jobs will be created through the facility being developed at the business park.

Company representatives who could provide information on the types of jobs that may become available with the opening of the center weren't reachable by phone Friday.

But similar centers in other Missouri locations offer sales and distribution-related positions. The facility will distribute items from the company's snack division, including Pepsi beverages, Starbucks coffee, Gatorade and Frito Lay products.

There has been a lot of interest in jobs at the new facility so far, said John Abernathy, who works in the operations office. Upon announcing its intention to build the facility, the company cited a good potential workforce as a reason it decided to build at the business park.

The city of Cape Girardeau is developing the business park on a large tract at Interstate 55 and LaSalle Avenue -- land purchased from Southeast Missouri State University.

A fiber optic cable project that will make the business park an AT&T Certified Fiber Park also is nearing completion, which AT&T representatives have said prompted development of business and technology parks elsewhere in Missouri.

Further development of the business park is in the works, but details cannot be released yet, according to local economic development representatives, including Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce president and CEO John Mehner, who said talks are ongoing with several good prospects.

eragan@semissourian.com

388-3632

Pertinent address:

LaSalle Avenue, Cape Girardeau, MO

Interstate 55, Cape Girardeau, MO