Welcome, Vidalia Denim Mills!

That was the resounding message at a reception Tuesday at the Vidalia Conference & Convention Center to welcome the new industry that is moving into Vidalia’s vacant 900,000 square-foot former Fruit of the Loom facility.

Once the building is retooled, it will become the home of a cotton-spinning operation, taking in raw cotton and churning out a denim yarn to be used in blue jeans.

Eventually, the company said it would create 300 jobs.

That’s about the same number of enthusiastic community members, including elected local, state and federal officials who were on hand at Tuesday’s reception.

Economic leaders thanked politicians, politicians thanked economic leaders, everyone thanked the citizens and Vidalia Denim officials thanked everyone, who worked so hard to help build the capital to help the company locate in Vidalia.

As Vidalia Mayor Buz Craft said, it was a team effort.

Now it is time to play the game.

Even before Tuesday’s reception started, people were arriving at the center asking about jobs.

Truth is the area needs jobs and that’s what all the hard teamwork has been about.

For Tuesday, however, it was a time for celebration.

Vidalia Denim officials are ready to get to work retooling their building, and it is now just a matter of time before the jobs materialize.

Sit tight.

Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make it happen.