Construction of Kubota Manufacturing of America Corp.’s $90 million North America research and development center is nearing completion, with the facility “ready to move into” by early 2022, said Phil Sutton, Kubota vice president.

A grand opening ceremony is planned for April, he said.

The project got a boost in September, when the Gainesville and Hall County Development Authority voted to issue $90 million in bonds. The bond issue “represents Kubota’s investment in the land, building and equipment” for the development on 300-plus acres, said Tim Evans, the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce’s vice president for economic development.

The center is at 4275 Simpson Road, part of Gateway Village, a mixed-used development on 500-plus acres off Ga. 365 in northeast Hall.

The facility will house engineering offices, workshops and testing buildings, “as well as large-scale grading and development of several outdoor test courses for turf, utility vehicles, tractors and other construction and agricultural-related equipment,” according to Kubota.

The center could open with about 70 employees but grow to 190 over the next five years, “primarily engineering and technical folks,” Sutton said.

The average salary, including benefits, will be above $80,000, he said.

“We’re in the hiring mode right now, adding (more) engineers and technicians,” Sutton said. “Our philosophy is local production for local consumption. Now we’re doing local development for local production.”

The tractor manufacturer currently employs about 3,000 people in Georgia, including manufacturing, sales, distribution and engineering.