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Toyota Plant - Marion or Chattanooga?

tnse

By tnse
in Memphis

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Clobber Burg

Clobber

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I will say that I do see the reasons why they are making memphis leaders stay quite. This will generate tons of money state wide that the marion site will not. I realize that the extra money will hopefully go into programs that will make tennessee better; it could increase the wages of our teachers, help our health plan, and create a better incentive plan to bring in major companies, among other programs. My only problem is I don't want to see this extra money generated to go straight to middle and east tennessee. Bredesen is very pro nashville, he was mayor there, and he is one of the main reasons they have become a progressive city. With this favoritism towards nashville, I think he is more willing to give financial incentives to a major corporation looking at nashville over one looking at memphis. I am not sure the state had anything to do with luring IP or Service Master to memphis. They both already had major presence in the city, so it made sense to locate the main offices their. Does this seem like it is the case or am I wrong? I could be wrong about IP, they packed up their belongings in new york and parked here in Memphis, so maybe there was a good incentive deal.

Above all, the state is doing what is in its best interest and chattanooga is in its best interest. I am not sure how this will affect the marion site. Do you think this will be a major factor in who gets the plant given the fact that toyoto sees a major city right next to their potential site that is not assisting at all? Or do you think toyoto will see the big picture and come to the conclusion that memphis has come to a fork in the road and cannot decide which way to go?

In the end I will be in favor of the site that benefits the city the most even if it is indirectly through chattanooga.

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cdarr Whistle-Stop

cdarr

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One exciting aspect of a potential Marion Toyota plant would be that it would help bring Crittenden Co./Eastern Arkansas closer to Memphis than it is now. Primarily due to the physical separation (i.e. river and floodplain), West Memphis/Marion has always been "that place over there" and the vast majority of people in Shelby County have had little reason to care what was going on in those communities, much less go over there.

A Toyota plant would instantly become one of the metro area's largest employers, and its largest manufacturing concern. Not something those of us on the other side of the Mississippi could easily ignore. In fact, you can bet there would be plenty of people crossing the bridges to work at Toyota. Marion would also become one of the metro's most significant, if not larger, suburbs. It would come to look less like an interstate truckstop town and more like a vibrant small city...complete with new schools, municipal buildings, retail opportunities (including big box retailers), and of course new neighborhoods.

Although Memphis/Shelby County leaders may not be able, or willing, to support Marion's bid, there's no doubt it would be a big win for everybody in our area. We need Crittenden Co. to become a major player in this region, not just a place you drive through to get to Memphis.

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Clobber Burg

Clobber

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One exciting aspect of a potential Marion Toyota plant would be that it would help bring Crittenden Co./Eastern Arkansas closer to Memphis than it is now. Primarily due to the physical separation (i.e. river and floodplain), West Memphis/Marion has always been "that place over there" and the vast majority of people in Shelby County have had little reason to care what was going on in those communities, much less go over there.

A Toyota plant would instantly become one of the metro area's largest employers, and its largest manufacturing concern. Not something those of us on the other side of the Mississippi could easily ignore. In fact, you can bet there would be plenty of people crossing the bridges to work at Toyota. Marion would also become one of the metro's most significant, if not larger, suburbs. It would come to look less like an interstate truckstop town and more like a vibrant small city...complete with new schools, municipal buildings, retail opportunities (including big box retailers), and of course new neighborhoods.

Although Memphis/Shelby County leaders may not be able, or willing, to support Marion's bid, there's no doubt it would be a big win for everybody in our area. We need Crittenden Co. to become a major player in this region, not just a place you drive through to get to Memphis.

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flith Hamlet

flith

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Nashville will always support Middle Tenn and East Tn w/o giving a second glance to the impact it would have on Memphis. I agree with G-Town, I used to live in Nashville too and there is extreme animosity up there against us. I wish we could just cut ties with the rest of the state somehow. We should definitely be supporting Marion and not Chattanooga, it's a shame this state is so messed up!
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flith Hamlet

flith

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My mistake. I misread that part. Southern Business Development has had an excellent track record of predicting where automotive plants are going. From their statement that Toyota has been very tightlipped about this expansion, I conclude that some of their prior sources of information may not be forthcoming this time, making their predeiction more difficult. Still their prediction that Marion will win this time is quite noteworthy, but no guarantee.

There are rumors floating around Chattanooga that it has already been chosen and that an announcement will be within a week or two. These are just rumors, and should be treated as nothing more than that.

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Lexy Town

Lexy

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On a side note I know that Chattanooga often feels shafted by Nashville, so Memphis isn't alone on that. When Kia didn't choose Chattanooga there was speculation that Nashville didn't want it and that it wouldn't give the best offer that it could of because they didn't want to upset Nissan, even though the "experts" said that Chattanooga was a long shot because of the distance from Kia's other sites/suppliers.
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flith Hamlet

flith

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I am calling your "speculation" total BS. That almost made me split my gut from laughing so hard. LOL!!! You may have heard that in Memphis, but as for the rest of the state that is wrong. Plain and simple. What is your source on this???

I honestly don't mean to sound brash, but the state would NEVER, you read that correctly....NEVER, squash a potential tax "piggy bank" like an auto factory from coming here because of Nissan. That is just complete and total bull. You honestly have to be outside your mind if you even remotely entertain a thought like that.

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Lexy Town

Lexy

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Those comments appeared in opinion columns on www.chattanoogan.com, and maybe in the TimesFreePress, I've also seen them on other local web sites. Everyone loves a good conspiracy theory, and they abound in Chattanooga, just ask some locals about the Luptons or Davenports. I never stated that I thought the state did or would do that, it wouldn't make since for that state to turn away that kind of investment. Although, I do know for a fact that E. TN was shafted over Middle and West TN for transportation funding prior to the mid '90's. Chattanooga, and Knoxville had interstate/highway construction booms because the funding formulas were balanced so that the regions received funding approximately equal to what was put in from that region. Instead of funding roadwork in other areas at their expense. North Carolina is just now fixing their funding formulas. It has been determined that Raleigh gets way too much transportation money at the expense of other regions in the state.
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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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One exciting aspect of a potential Marion Toyota plant would be that it would help bring Crittenden Co./Eastern Arkansas closer to Memphis than it is now. Primarily due to the physical separation (i.e. river and floodplain), West Memphis/Marion has always been "that place over there" and the vast majority of people in Shelby County have had little reason to care what was going on in those communities, much less go over there.

A Toyota plant would instantly become one of the metro area's largest employers, and its largest manufacturing concern. Not something those of us on the other side of the Mississippi could easily ignore. In fact, you can bet there would be plenty of people crossing the bridges to work at Toyota. Marion would also become one of the metro's most significant, if not larger, suburbs. It would come to look less like an interstate truckstop town and more like a vibrant small city...complete with new schools, municipal buildings, retail opportunities (including big box retailers), and of course new neighborhoods.

Although Memphis/Shelby County leaders may not be able, or willing, to support Marion's bid, there's no doubt it would be a big win for everybody in our area. We need Crittenden Co. to become a major player in this region, not just a place you drive through to get to Memphis.

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Clobber Burg

Clobber

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I agree with you there. having the plant in Marion wouldn't really affect my area of Arkansas. But I would really like to see something positive going for that area of the state and would like to see more going on Arkansas side of the Memphis metro. It really does seem like it's not considered that much a part of the metro. I always thought that was weird for Memphis to seemingly have so little effect just across the Mississippi River.
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Bears Hamlet

Bears

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I see what your saying Fellowman. If the two spots being debated was Bristol, VA and Covington, TN I'm sure Corker would go for Covington. I'm glad Cohen is doing something the mayors can't (Cohen for Mayor? :shades: ). What role is the Chamber of Commerce playing? I remember they changed the name to the Memphis REGIONAL Chamber of Commerce. Are they silent or are they backing a Marion plant?

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Rardy Burg

Rardy

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I see what your saying Fellowman. If the two spots being debated was Bristol, VA and Covington, TN I'm sure Corker would go for Covington. I'm glad Cohen is doing something the mayors can't (Cohen for Mayor? :shades: ). What role is the Chamber of Commerce playing? I remember they changed the name to the Memphis REGIONAL Chamber of Commerce. Are they silent or are they backing a Marion plant?
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