8-19-04 - A longtime Denison employer will benefit from a large tax abatement and incentives package offered by the city, and provide dozens of new jobs in return.

Champion Cooler, a commercial and industrial air conditioning manufacturer, has employed people in Denison for 50 years. Within the next year, they will expand their operation by 36,000 sq feet, and hire 20 new employees.

They were one of four businesses in the city to receive incentives from the Denison Development Alliance. Sign Warehouse, Venture Packaging and Florestone will bring 130 new jobs to Denison. Combined with Champion, it will create $3.7 million in new payroll.

Champion will start construction in the next six to eight weeks and finish the building by the first of the year.