Industrial prospect to tour vacant plant

Prospects continue to show interest in the now vacant Higdon Furniture Company manufacturing facility on Wight Road, according to Joint Development Authority Executive Director Brian Marlowe.
“One of our prospects is coming back Wednesday for another tour with some other company officials,” Marlowe said Monday.
There are currently three prospects that have shown interest in leasing or purchasing the facility, and two of them have toured the plant in person.
The facility was constructed by the JDA for the use of Higdon Furniture Company of Quincy, Fla.
The Florida furniture manufacturer was lease purchasing the plant, but has since filed bankruptcy and defaulted on the lease payments. The JDA has filed suit against Joe Higdon, who personally guaranteed the performance of the lease.
In order to meet the debt service requirements on the Wight Road plant, the JDA has sought and is receiving $3,700 per month from both the Cairo City Council and the Grady County Board of Commissioners.
Marlowe says the authority is doing everything possible to market the facility to prospective new tenants and is hopeful a new business will relocate to the plant.
JDA officials intend to repay both the city and county the total amount of additional financial assistance once a new tenant is identified.
“We went a while when there was not much interest, but we are glad to have some folks looking at the Higdon facility,” Marlowe said.