The Associated Press

LOUISVILLE - Two Ford Motor Co. auto plants here are still targeted for $550 million in improvements despite the decision not to close another plant in St. Louis, a company spokesman said.

"We're still going to need the improvements to the paint plant and stamping for the next version of the Explorer," Ford spokesman Ed Lewis said.

Those improvements will go into the Louisville Assembly Plant. Other improvements are planned for the Kentucky Truck Plant in eastern Jefferson County, where Ford wants to increase production of Super Duty pickups.

Kentucky and Metro governments have offered Ford $50 million in tax breaks to help finance the projects at the Kentucky plants. Ford has not officially accepted those incentives.