Tom Hill confirmed Monday the Limestone County Economic Development Association will make a major industry announcement Thursday, but was mum on details.

LCEDA sent invitations Monday to the announcement and luncheon, which will be at 11:30 a.m. at the Alabama Robotics Technology Park at Calhoun Community College, by mail and email to state, local and federal officials.

Hill, president of LCEDA, said media invitations will be sent later.

Hill did not say if the announcement concerned two industries that previously showed interest in the city.

In July, the Athens Planning Commission voted on zoning changes that would have sites ready in the event that new industries decided to locate here. The industries were codenamed “Project Tile” and “Project Hart” and were otherwise unidentified.

Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks said at the time that Project Tile is an Italian ceramic tile manufacturing company and Project Hart was described as a plastic injection, molding and extrusion manufacturing company.

He told the planning commission the city had been working to recruit the tile company for more than two years and that the $40 million project could being 150 jobs to Athens.

Three sites were being considered by the tile company, including the Elm Street Industrial Park extension on Wilkinson Street, the north side of the Breeding Industrial Park next to Turner Medical and the south side of the Breeding Industrial Park near Steelcase.

— Adam Smith contributed to this report