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West Kentucky 'Megasite' Among Several Competing for $1.6 Billion Auto Facility

WESTKENTUCKYMEGASITE.COM

  An economic development authority in far west Kentucky is offering more than 2,000 acres of “free land” in an effort to attract Japanese automakers looking to build a facility.

  The Purchase Area Regional Industrial Authority is offering a ‘megasite’ in Graves County in a bid to attract Toyota and Mazda.The companies are looking to open a $1.6 billion dollar joint-venture facility in 2021, employing 4,000 workers.

 

Authority board chair Mark Manning said he sees the site near Mayfield as an opportunity to replace jobs lost after the closing of the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant.

 
“You’re talking about thousands of very high paying jobs at the plant itself. Then you’re talking about perhaps two or three times that many employees at other companies that would locate in the region to support that plant.”

 

Manning says the "free land" would be a major incentive for the automakers.

 

“So our goal is to differentiate ourselves as a region and to step up with the people who are actually in daily contact with Toyota to let them know that should we be successful in attracting this project or another project of this stature that we would donate the property which is worth quite a bit of money, 10 to 12 million dollars.”

Manning is anticipating a great amount of support from county judge executives, and area legislators.

 
But, the west Kentucky location is not the only one with eyes on the future facility. Governor Matt Bevin noted earlier this month a site in central Kentucky and Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam said, “there will be a lot people fighting hard for that plant, and we intend to be at the lead." At least 14 other states have also publicized efforts to lure the joint-venture.
 
 

Ebony Clark is a student at Murray State University majoring in computer science. She was born in Brownsville, Tennessee. Ebony has served as a reporter for 4-H congress in Nashville, TN where she spoke with several state leaders and congressmen. Ebony enjoys writing poetry and spoken word and competed in Tennessee's Poetry Out Loud competition hosted by the arts council in Nashville,TN.
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