Toyota Plant - Marion or Chattanooga?

[tnse]

Saw these 2 articles in the CA today about a posible Toyota manufacturing plant:

Ready to drive

http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/busine...5294199,00.html

The San Antonio model

http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/busine...5294971,00.html

The first talks about the competition of Marion and Chattanooga and the other talks of how to lure a business like San Antonio did.

I thought it would be an interesting discussion. What impact would a Toyota plant in Marion have in the greater Memphis area? What economic benefits are to be expected if any? I don't know much about Marion. How far is the plan site from Memphis? It is said Marion is about 12 miles. What does Chatanooga have going for it that may tip the balance toward them? I'm not familiar with what Chattanooga has on the table or what their advantages might be. It was not spoken about in the article. (Anyone have links to the Chattanooga proposlas might be or perspective is?) What have we learned from Saturns plant and its impact on Nashville? Did it provide growth and benefits that were tangible to that community? And if so, what might we expect as far as impact to Memphis? Could we expect people to live in Memphis but commute to work in Marion at the plant?

It is a shame that potential economic drivers for the Memphis community are so spread out. I think there would be more synergies if for example the Toyota plant could be located closer to Memphis or actually in Memphis. Same with Tunica. It would be nice if the casinos were in Desoto or better yet in a distnct and defined district in Memphis. That is not to take anything away from Tunica or Marion if that happens for them. Congrats to them. Strange how in this case Memphians should be pulling for Arkansas to get a plant and jobs over their own state of Tennessee.

Thoughts?

[Lexy]

What does Chatanooga have going for it that may tip the balance toward them?

[Rardy]

Saw these 2 articles in the CA today about a posible Toyota manufacturing plant:

Ready to drive

http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/busine...5294199,00.html

The San Antonio model

http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/busine...5294971,00.html

The first talks about the competition of Marion and Chattanooga and the other talks of how to lure a business like San Antonio did.

I thought it would be an interesting discussion. What impact would a Toyota plant in Marion have in the greater Memphis area? What economic benefits are to be expected if any? I don't know much about Marion. How far is the plan site from Memphis? It is said Marion is about 12 miles. What does Chatanooga have going for it that may tip the balance toward them? I'm not familiar with what Chattanooga has on the table or what their advantages might be. It was not spoken about in the article. (Anyone have links to the Chattanooga proposlas might be or perspective is?) What have we learned from Saturns plant and its impact on Nashville? Did it provide growth and benefits that were tangible to that community? And if so, what might we expect as far as impact to Memphis? Could we expect people to live in Memphis but commute to work in Marion at the plant?

It is a shame that potential economic drivers for the Memphis community are so spread out. I think there would be more synergies if for example the Toyota plant could be located closer to Memphis or actually in Memphis. Same with Tunica. It would be nice if the casinos were in Desoto or better yet in a distnct and defined district in Memphis. That is not to take anything away from Tunica or Marion if that happens for them. Congrats to them. Strange how in this case Memphians should be pulling for Arkansas to get a plant and jobs over their own state of Tennessee.

Thoughts?

[Rural King]

*Edit - I notice after reading the article that the rumor is that its down to just Marion and Chattanooga, so I deleted my comments about the other TN site in Crockett County near Jackson that was on the final 5 list. -*

The Chattanooga site, as Lexy said, definitely has an advantage of being near the epicenter of Japanese manufacturers who have for the last 30 years found East Tennessee (in particular compared to any other region of the South) a very attractive place to do business, and thus established numerous industrial operations, many, if not most, auto related. I would say it would have the advantage and have the most positive impact for the state and for Tennesseans. Even if it would not benefit us here in West Tennessee much, if at all.

[Lexy]

I think it's a crapshoot as to where it's going at this point. All the sites are good sites, but there's one that really has got to stand out at some point.

[idlewild]

I truly believe that Marion has a better shot. It is at the crossroads of a east-west interstate and a north-south interstate, as well as 5 class I railroads, the Mississippi River, an International Airport, and FedEx.

What does Chattanooga have, besides a site near an interstate and near the downtown of Chattanooga?

[James Owen]

I'm going to remain optimistic at this point. After all, Marion has been a city that has been considered for a Toyota plant for years, but is always being overlooked in favor of another city.

If Chattanooga is chosen over Marion, it'll just be another "..... oh well, we tried".

[Clobber]

I'm going to remain optimistic at this point. After all, Marion has been a city that has been considered for a Toyota plant for years, but is always being overlooked in favor of another city.

If Chattanooga is chosen over Marion, it'll just be another "..... oh well, we tried".

[Lexy]

I truly believe that Marion has a better shot. It is at the crossroads of a east-west interstate and a north-south interstate, as well as 5 class I railroads, the Mississippi River, an International Airport, and FedEx.

What does Chattanooga have, besides a site near an interstate and near the downtown of Chattanooga?

[mandrws1]

I think Wilson Air Center, which has been voted number one in the country for many years will help. I read somewhere that's been in Memphis' incentive package. I can see why a major corporate jet service would be important for corporations. I hope that the region is using San Antonio's model and coming together in a joint effort. I think this would have an incredible impact on the area!

[idlewild]

Interstates, an airport (which means nothing to a car factory for the most part), railroads, and suppliers by the hundreds next door.

[Clobber]

I think Wilson Air Center, which has been voted number one in the country for many years will help. I read somewhere that's been in Memphis' incentive package. I can see why a major corporate jet service would be important for corporations. I hope that the region is using San Antonio's model and coming together in a joint effort. I think this would have an incredible impact on the area!

[Lexy]

back when they made the decision on San Antonio, there was mention that the Regional Chamber made it clear they were willing to help anyone in the extended metro. Marion took them up on the offer, I don't know if Jackson did or not back then. Hopefully MS is on board too. It would likely help them get suppliers and distribution facilities in Desoto and elsewhere...

[Rardy]

I hate to say this, and I really mean that too, but I doubt MS will see anymore car factories for a while. Reason being the debacle that Nissan has gone through, and still is to this day. Hard to get labor, and when you do, it is hard to keep them because many just don't want to work. When Nissan opened their Canton plant, they had to recruit from their plant here in Middle Tennessee just to get people to work there. And that is just a tip of the iceberg when it comes to the problems they have down there.

[Lexy]

I believe the key words in Clobber's post were "suppliers and distribution facilities."

[northernbizzkit1]

I hate to say this, and I really mean that too, but I doubt MS will see anymore car factories for a while. Reason being the debacle that Nissan has gone through, and still is to this day. Hard to get labor, and when you do, it is hard to keep them because many just don't want to work. When Nissan opened their Canton plant, they had to recruit from their plant here in Middle Tennessee just to get people to work there. And that is just a tip of the iceberg when it comes to the problems they have down there.

[mandrws1]

not to debunk your theory, but isn't Rolls Royce North America looking at Mississippi for a factory? I have certainly heard what you have about the Nissan plant in Canton (they actually were paying English teachers in the Jackson area quite a bit of money to teach some of the workers to read and write), but I think MS will still get car factories...just not on the Nissan level.

[Clobber]

not to debunk your theory, but isn't Rolls Royce North America looking at Mississippi for a factory? I have certainly heard what you have about the Nissan plant in Canton (they actually were paying English teachers in the Jackson area quite a bit of money to teach some of the workers to read and write), but I think MS will still get car factories...just not on the Nissan level.

[Rural King]

^ It is for engines. Over in the MS forum I asked about where the rumors where, and I was told in the Columbus area, which from everything I have heard from folks who go down there is a very big industrial area with an established skilled labor force suitable for that size of operation. Unlike Canton, which I assume had a very limited skilled labor pool for that many jobs.

I dont think either Chattanooga or Marion would have nearly the issues Canton has had thus far. I think both regions have much larger skilled labor pool to draw from.

[jmduke]

Not to get too far off track, but is the proposed Rolls-Royce engine facility designed to supply the EuroCopter plant near Columbus? RR's helicopter/small engine/APU business is based in the US (used to be Allison Turbine Engines) and I heard they were looking to expand.

Nissan's Canton operation was not helped by opening a new plant with new people building all new vehicle designs. That's a recipe for a tough first two or so years. Had they ramped up the plant with Sentras or Altimas to work out the kinks, they might have had better success, but splitting the tooling between Smyrna and Canton would have been quite expensive.

[idlewild]

back on topic....when will the decision be made about the Toyota Plant?

[Bears]

Has anyone heard of the Nashville Auto Diesel College? I think something like that would do really well in metro Memphis. We have a growing biofuels industry so we could use more educated people in that field. Plus with all the trucks, planes, and locomotives in the area, we could use more local mechanics, as well as possibly attract students to work at autoplants that might spring up in Tupelo, Crockett County, Tunica, and Marion. I think Midsouth Community College has already taken steps to do this but we could use a technical school which is special for automotive technology.

If this happens, all three states in the metro area will fulfill a niche. Memphis as the "big city", N. Mississippi as the gambling and tourist draw, and E. Arkansas as the industrial hub.

[Lexy]

Has anyone heard of the Nashville Auto Diesel College? I think something like that would do really well in metro Memphis. We have a growing biofuels industry so we could use more educated people in that field. Plus with all the trucks, planes, and locomotives in the area, we could use more local mechanics, as well as possibly attract students to work at autoplants that might spring up in Tupelo, Crockett County, Tunica, and Marion. I think Midsouth Community College has already taken steps to do this but we could use a technical school which is special for automotive technology.

If this happens, all three states in the metro area will fulfill a niche. Memphis as the "big city", N. Mississippi as the gambling and tourist draw, and E. Arkansas as the industrial hub.

[Hankster]

I truly believe that Marion has a better shot. It is at the crossroads of a east-west interstate and a north-south interstate, as well as 5 class I railroads, the Mississippi River, an International Airport, and FedEx.

What does Chattanooga have, besides a site near an interstate and near the downtown of Chattanooga?

[memville]

does someone want to show him what we have to offer