MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – Construction of Ford Motor Company’s $5.6 billion electric plant in Haywood County, Tennessee is well underway, but a project of this magnitude will have a major impact on the entire region.
Experts say that a huge project like Blue Oval City can change the look and feel of the community.
“It’s better to start early than try to catch up,” said Ralph Moore, executive director of the Memphis Area Association of Government.
That’s why the Memphis Area Association of Government hosted a forum Thursday to discuss various ways communities in the area can prepare.
The project is expected to create 27,000 direct and indirect jobs, bringing with it concerns around commuting, housing, infrastructure and more.
Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly offered first-hand advice after the 2008 Volkswagen plant was built in the city.
He says staff development is key.
“These aren’t old assembly-line jobs where anyone can just walk in and do them. They require a good level of technical training, so the school system really needs to prepare for that,” Kelly said.
With potential population growth comes a need for affordable housing and amenities such as restaurants, schools, and solid infrastructure.
Experts say talks like this will now be beneficial in the long term.
“Maybe one place wants to benefit from an additional population base and another wants to keep what they have…we need to coordinate these things so that the region as a whole sees a win-win situation,” said Charlie Santo, chair of the Department of City and regional planning at the University of Memphis.
Click here to learn more about Blue Oval City.
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