MASON COUNTY, WV (WOWK) – The Mason County Development Authority says, even though the completion of the Nucor project is years out, changes are already happening in the area. 

Last week Nucor employees from across the country were in Mason County visiting the area. 

Officials say Nucor is looking to have people move to Mason County, Putnam County and Cabell County as the project unravels. 

Director of the Mason County Development Authority, John Musgrave, says with that traffic headed to the area he’s hopeful growth will follow. 

“Usually in the development field for every one person employed, we get about 5 extra people in the community so if they’re going to hire about 1000 in the first few years that means there will be about 5000 people coming into the county,” explained Musgrave.

Musgrave also says – in addition to the population growth – he’s hopeful new jobs will come for people in the area as well.  

“They’re going to start with about 800 employees and work up to about 1,500 or so construction workers. It’s going to be a great thing for the county, it’s going to be a great thing for the region, and a great thing for the state,” Musgrave says. 

The project isn’t expected to be completed until 2024.