Governor Kay Ivey announced Thursday that Alabama had been selected by Area Development, a national business publication, to receive the Gold Shovel Award.

The award, which recognizes the Yellowhammer State’s economic development success in 2018, follows an impressive year for the state with expansion projects involving $8.7 in new capital investment. Those projects are expected to create an estimated 17,026 jobs across the state.

In addition to receiving the Gold Shovel Award, Alabama was also recognized for its recruitment of the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing U.S.A. auto assembly plant, which Area Development considered to be one of the “Deals of the Year.”

Since 2006, when it first received a Gold Shovel, Alabama has received one of the Gold or Silver Shovel Awards from Area Development each year. In 2012, the state received another Gold Shovel Award and in the other years, Alabama was awarded Silver.

“The primary goal of Alabama’s economic development team is to help spark the creation of jobs and opportunity throughout the state by strategically focusing on high-impact industries with solid growth prospects,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “Winning the Gold Shovel Award demonstrates that our team is executing on its plan and delivering results that make a difference for the state.”

Ivey announced, “Since 2012, economic development activity in Alabama has attracted more than $36 billion in investment and more than 120,000 jobs, according to Commerce figures.”

Alabama is one of six states to receive a Gold Shovel Award. Other states include Texas, Georgia, Virginia, Arizona and Mississippi.

Kyle Morris also contributes daily to Breitbart News. You can follow him on Twitter @RealKyleMorris.