Last week, officials with Toyota and Mazda announced that they have eliminated the state-funded Memphis regional “Megasite” from consideration for a new automobile manufacturing facility.
The gubernatorial campaign of Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06) quickly issued a statement stating “Losing Toyota-Mazda is a tremendous, inexcusable loss for our state.”
You can read the full statement here:
The Diane Black for Governor campaign today reacted to the disappointing news that Toyota-Mazda has eliminated the Memphis Regional Megasite (formerly known as the West Tennessee Megasite) from consideration for its new plant. Tennessee’s Economic and Community Development Commissioner confirmed that the megasite was removed from consideration because it was not “shovel-ready.” The state purchased the land for the megasite in 2009 and taxpayers have invested $140 million thus far in preparing it for a tenant.
Diane Black for Governor Communications Director, Chris Hartline, made the following statement:
“Some may campaign on making Tennessee a business-friendly state, but they are overlooking their failures to make Tennessee a business-ready state. The state has had years to make the Memphis Regional Megasite ‘shovel ready,’ and has come up short once again. Losing Toyota-Mazda is a tremendous, inexcusable loss for our state. We have to take action and stop leaving West Tennessee behind.”
The Associated Press offered this description of the Memphis Regional Megasite news:
A state official says Toyota Motor Corp. and Mazda Motor Corp. have eliminated an industrial site in Tennessee from consideration for their new auto manufacturing plant.
The Commercial Appeal reports that Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe said the Japanese automakers passed on the Memphis Regional Megasite was because it is not “shovel-ready,” compared with sites in other states.
Toyota and Mazda have announced plans to jointly build a $1.6 billion plant in the U.S. The automakers say the move will create 4,000 jobs and the plant will have an annual production capacity of about 300,000 vehicles.
The industrial site is located about 30 miles east of Memphis. The state has appropriated more than $140 million for the yet-unfinished Megasite since it was purchased in 2009.
[…] wasn’t shovel-ready. U.S. Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-6), who is running for governor, issued a statement calling the decision “a tremendous, inexcusable loss for our […]
I can hear the call now for another $140 million of taxpayer money to get the site “shovel ready”. What a waste.