Alltech is investing about $24 million in a new Eastern Kentucky facility to help shore up economic development in the area.
Touted by Gov. Steve Beshear and Kentucky Congressman Hal Rogers, the development will expand Alltech’s distillery operations on a 380-acre reclaimed surface mine, and will grow to include aquaculture fish farms and an egg laying operation.
Deirdre Lyons is director of corporate image for Alltech. She says Eastern Kentucky brings back memories of her native homeland.
“Eastern Kentucky has always reminded us of Ireland: Not just for its natural beauty or its rich history of music, but the struggle with creating jobs and keeping jobs, and Ireland’s biggest export has always been its people, and I think Eastern Kentucky is similar,” said Lyons.
The state will pay about 14 million dollars to improve road and bridge access to the Pikeville site.
The development is part of the Saving Our Appalachian Region initiative founded by Beshear and Rogers, which aims to revitalize Eastern Kentucky’s economy in the wake of job losses in the coal industry.
