VIDALIA — The Town of Vidalia will hold a noon public hearing as one of the last steps in “Project Blue” today at the Vidalia Municipal Complex, 200 Vernon Stevens Blvd., near Walmart.

Project Blue is the code name given to an economic development project area leaders have been working on for approximately a year and a half in which an unnamed company will purchase the former Fruit of the Loom plant in Vidalia and bring with it an estimated 300 new jobs.

Vidalia Mayor Buz Craft said today’s public hearing is a formality required to properly record the deed to the facility.

“The principals (of the company) will be there, and as soon as the meeting is over we will go to the bank and record the deed,” Craft said.

“We encourage all people to come out,” Craft said. “It is a great day for the town. This is finally here. It is the fruition of a year and half of work to get it done. There are towns all over the state that would love to have this project, and Vidalia landed it.”

Natchez Inc. Executive Director Chandler Russ said the project is a win for the area.

“This should be a big day for the Miss-Lou region,” Russ said. “This is a project we’ve been working on for a good long time now and are glad to be getting it to fruition. It is a much-needed hit for our region.”

Representatives of both Project Blue and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are expected to be at the event to field questions from people in attendance.

“We are not aware of any objections to be presented at the meeting, but we have just been requested to notify our membership of the importance to attend and show support for this important economic development project which should be a ‘game changer’ for our entire region,” Natchez Now wrote in an email to members Wednesday evening. “As you know, a lot of our time, effort and resources have been committed to this project, and the finish line is in sight!”