ROCHELLE — City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh said last week that there are still no plans for when ‘Project Jackpot’ will reveal its company identity and officially announce plans to open a location in town. 

The still-anonymous business, which has purchased the former Nippon Sharyo buildings, is said to be making a capital investment of over $130 million and adding 150 jobs that pay an average of $52,000 per year before benefits to the area. 

Fiegenschuh said he wanted to reassure curious residents that Project Jackpot is committed to the community. 

“There’s tons of work going on out there at that location and people working and concrete going in out of there,” Fiegenschuh said. They'll announce when they're ready to announce. But people need to be patient and respectful of that and just know that they're committed to our community. If they weren't, they wouldn't be spending all that time, money and resources on those two buildings."

City officials signed non-disclosure agreements and are unable to reveal the identity of the Project Jackpot company. 

The Lee-Ogle Enterprise zone was amended by the Rochelle City Council and other area members to attract Project Jackpot by adding 10 years of 50 percent abatement, creating a category for companies that make an investment of $100 million or more plus adding at least 125 new jobs and a pay rate of $50,000 or more before benefits and maintaining 95 percent employees. There are a total of 12 years of abatement for Project Jackpot’s west building. The east building won’t be abated at all. 

The city also reached a development agreement with Project Jackpot. 

Fiegenschuh has said previously that the city has invested a “significant” amount in attracting Project Jackpot in terms of incentive dollars and staff hours. Infrastructure like the current substation project going on next to the Project Jackpot site has also been put into place.