Illinois and Iowa could get into a bidding war over the construction of a $1.2 billion fertilizer production facility.
According to Illinois officials, Iowa is offering Cronus Chemical LLC an estimated $35 million in taxpayer subsidies to build a plant in Mitchell County near the Minnesota border.
Illinois lawmakers are considering tax breaks in a proposal by state Rep. Adam Brown, a Republican from Champaign. The plant would be built near Tuscola in the east central part of the state.
The facility would create 2,000 construction jobs and 150 full-time jobs.
Iowa beat Illinois last year over the site of a $1.4 billion fertilizer plant. Gov. Terry Branstad has been criticized over tax breaks related to that plant.
