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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

HMS Global Maritime Expands Operations in New Albany, Indiana

04/15/2019
HMS Global Maritime, a marine management and operations company, and its affiliate, American Queen Steamboat Company, plan to expand in New Albany, Indiana. The project will create up to 50 new jobs by the end of 2022.

HMS Global Maritime and American Queen Steamboat Company, HMS Global Maritime's overnight cruise division, plan to invest nearly $800,000 over the next few years to renovate and equip a recently-purchased, 10,000-square-foot historic building at 213 Pearl St. in downtown New Albany.

The new facility will house a training and customer service center for American Queen Steamboat Company, which will accommodate 200 to 300 hospitality and hotel trainees annually. Construction is underway, and the new facility is expected to be fully operational by the fall of this year.

"At HMS Global Maritime and American Queen Steamboat Company, our philosophy is to push ourselves to not only be a world-class company, but to commit to delivering an uncompromising customer experience by providing our employees the very best in training, support and skills to be successful," said John Waggoner, HMS Global Maritime President & CEO. "This proposed training center in the heart of downtown New Albany would not only help us maintain the quality workforce we need to succeed, but also bring hundreds of visitors to our hometown annually. It is the very definition of a win-win situation."

The IEDC offered HMS Global Maritime up to $400,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $50,000 through the Hoosier Business Investment (HBI) tax credit program based on the company's job creation and investment plans. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired or until qualified investments are made, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The city of New Albany is considering additional incentives at the request of One Southern Indiana.

HMS Global Maritime and its affiliates, including American Queen Steamboat Company, employ 56 associates in Indiana across two existing New Albany facilities and a warehouse in Clark County, state officials said. With this increased footprint, the companies will scale their teams in Indiana to support operations across the country.

"Businesses like HMS Global Maritime and American Queen Steamboat Company are vital to Indiana’s success, helping propel the state’s economy and enriching their communities by providing quality career opportunities for Hoosiers,” said Indiana Economic Development Corporation President Elaine Bedel. “This commitment is an exciting step forward for Indiana, where our transportation and logistics industry is thriving in the Crossroads of America, as well as for the New Albany community, which continues to invest in its quality of place to support a growing talent base.”

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