Megasite addition to bring new opportunity to West Tennessee
HAYWOOD COUNTY, Tenn. — A big announcement made by Gov. Bill Lee is about to dramatically change West Tennessee.
Gov. Lee announced Monday that Ford Motor Company has selected the Memphis Regional Megasite to build a 3,600-acre mega campus called Blue Oval City.
Blue Oval City will be designed to be the largest, most advanced and most efficient automotive production campus in Ford’s history.
“It’s hard to imagine what this really means for Haywood County. But what I think it means, is that it will show these young people they will have opportunity like they’ve never had before,” Gov. Lee said.
The state of Tennessee has invested more than $170 million in the Memphis Regional Megasite.
“That’s why Ford Motor Company came here. Because they figured out that there was something different about our state. Fifteen states competed for this, and they called us head and shoulders above the others,” Gov. Lee said.
Now Ford and SK Innovation will invest $5.6 billion to create 5,800 jobs.
“It’s a day that will forever change the trajectory of this part of our state, and frankly of the entire state. We think there will be an excess of 25,000 jobs, direct and indirect as a result of this investment today. There’ll be multiple companies here who need skills of all kinds,” Gov. Lee said.
Haywood County Mayor David Livingston says they are already in discussions, dealing with expansion of the water and sewer system.
“We certainly want to put up new housing projects, new subdivisions, both standard and in Brownsville and in the rural areas,” Livingston said. “It’s a situation that we’re anticipating and getting ready for the growth that’s coming.”
Livingston wants the residents of Haywood County to know there will be many changes with the anticipated influx of people coming.
“They should certainly expect rising prices, as far as your housing prices. All land prices will go up, but also you’ll see an expansion of opportunities for more jobs, better paying jobs, and you will also see a situation that you’ll have more retail outlets, more restaurants,” Livingston said.
Gov. Lee says this will make Tennessee the leader in the country for automotive manufacturing.
“We will mark this down as a legacy day, one that will most importantly impact, men and women and children and lives and families,” Gov. Lee said.
Wednesday, Gov. Lee will release more good news regarding the megasite.
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