SPANISH FORT, Ala.—One full week following the first of two work sessions dedicated almost entirely to a competitive economic development project, city officials remain secretive regarding a potential announcement that could mean as many as 125 jobs for Spanish Fort.

“The company interested in coming here is looking at several different locations in the area,” Mayor Joe Bonner said, citing the sensitivity of negotiations.

Bonner would neither confirm nor deny the possibility of a Publix Super Market locating in the city, but did say the “interested company” is also examining locations in Daphne.

As reported in the Sun in early May, it appeared long-debated plans for a 45,600-square-foot Publix to be constructed near the TimberCreek subdivision were being nixed in favor of a Spanish Fort location.

Founded in 1930 in Winter Haven, Fla., by the late George W. Jenkins, Publix Super Markets Inc. is the largest employee-owned and one of the 10 largest volume supermarket chains in the United States. The publicly-traded company based in Lakeland, Fla., reported total retail sales of $23.9 billion in 2008, and employs more than 140,000. To date, 38 of the chain’s 1,005 locations are in Alabama.

Using the company’s own figures, each store averages about 139, placing Bonner’s 125-employee estimate in range for a store.

The only other high-profile economic development project mentioned recently in connection with southwest Alabama is the possibility of an electric battery plant for South Korean electric car and battery manufacturer CT&T.

The Seoul-based company is expected to employ some 2,600 in the United States by 2010 in research and production, and Alabama is one of five states named for possible site selection. Georgia, California and both Carolinas are the other four. It is not immediately clear how many employees such plants would hire.

Attempts to reach representatives for both Publix and CT&T were unsuccessful as of press time.

Following an almost hour-and-a-half work session Monday, Bonner said only that negotiations are still ongoing and that the council has requested the “interested company” provide a Plan B should initial plans fall short.

“All I can say is that this is very big and very sought after, but we’re trying to be respectful of the sensitivity of the situation because of the competition involved,” he said.

Bonner did say he expects a decision as early as Monday.