>> (FEMALE ANNOUNCER)   PRODUCTION FUNDING FOR   BEHIND THE HEADLINES IS MADE   POSSIBLE IN PART BY   THE WKNO PRODUCTION FUND,   THE WKNO ENDOWMENT FUND,   AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> THE IMPACT OF THE FORD ELECTRIC VEHICLE PLANT, TONIGHT ON BEHIND THE HEADLINES.

[INTENSE ORCHESTRAL MUSIC] >> I'M ERIC BARNES WITH THE DAILY MEMPHIAN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I'M JOINED BY JOHN THREADGILL, THE BARTLETT AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESIDENT.

JOHN, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> MARK HERBISON, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF HTL ADVANTAGE WHICH REPRESENTS THREE RURAL COUNTIES WHERE THE MEGASITE IS AND WHERE THE FORD PLANT IS GOING.

MARK, THANKS FOR BEING HERE AGAIN.

>> THANK YOU, ERIC.

>> ALONG WITH BILL DRIES, REPORTER WITH THE DAILY MEMPHIAN.

WE'RE GOING TO TALK TO SOME OTHER FOLKS OVER THE COMING MONTHS AND WEEKS ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE FORD PLANT, THE POTENTIAL IMPACT.

I WANT TO START WITH YOU, MARK.

BOTH OF YOU ARE VETERANS OF THE MEMPHIS AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THAT'S WHERE I FIRST MET YOU BOTH.

BUT YOU ARE NOW REPRESENTING HAYWOOD, TIPTON, LAUDERDALE COUNTY, THE MEGASITE, 3600 ACRES OUT THERE.

A QUICK BACKGROUND FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T AS FAMILIAR WITH THIS.

FORD AND ITS PARTNER HAVE COME FORWARD WITH A MASSIVE $5.6 BILLION PLANT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD, TO OPEN IN 2025.

IT WILL CREATE AS MANY AS 6,000 JOBS.

THERE'S TALK OF AS MANY AS ANOTHER 21, 22,000 JOBS IN TERMS OF VENDORS AND SUPPLIERS AROUND IT.

THE STATE LEGISLATURE JUST PASSED ALMOST $900 MILLION IN INCENTIVES TO MAKE THE DEAL HAPPEN, WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT'S IN THAT.

IT'S A MASSIVE DEAL, MARK.

YOU BOTH HAVE BEEN DOING THIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BACK TO TENNESSEE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BACK IN THE '90s, '80s WE'LL TALK SOME MORE ABOUT THAT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, AND QUICKLY, THAT THE IMPACT WILL BE BOTH ON WHERE THE PLANT IS, BUT YOU'RE A CHAMBER VETERAN, AND THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF KINDA DEVELOPMENT HERE WHAT'S THE IMPACT ALSO ON MEMPHIS.

AND THE SURROUNDING SUBURBS AND SO FORTH?

>> I DON'T THINK WE CAN CALCULATE IT YET, ERIC.

IT IS SUCH A VAST DEAL.

IT IS A MONSTROUSLY LARGE PROJECT.

I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER SEEN ANYTHING OF THIS MAGNITUDE WHEN IT STARTED.

SO WE'RE GOING TO START WITH 6,000 JOBS, NEARLY 6 BILLION IN INVESTMENT, BUT THAT'S JUST FORD AND SK INNOVATIONS.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE BATTERY RECYCLING, COLLOID PLANTS THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE OTHER VENDORS AND SUPPLIERS ON SITE.

SO WE CAN BE TALKING IN 2025, '26 AS MANY AS 8,000 OR 9,000 PEOPLE A DAY WORKING ON THAT SITE AND GROWING.

ALL THE PLANTS IN TENNESSEE LIKE NISSAN AND GM AND VOLKSWAGEN HAVE ALL GROWN AND EXPANDED.

NISSAN HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE IT CAME IN THE EARLY '80s, EARLY '70s, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN THAT WAS.

BUT I THINK IT's GONNA BE AN INCREDIBLE IMPACT FOR THE ENTIRE REGION.

GONNA CREATE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 30 AND 50,000 JOBS IN THE REGION.

WE'RE ALREADY SEEING KIND OF A GOLD RUSH FOR THE LAND IN AND AROUND THE MEGASITE, SO PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT DEVELOPING IN THAT AREA.

I THINK WE'LL SEE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, I THINK WE'LL SEE A LOT OF RETAIL AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.

I DO THINK THERE'S SOME ISSUES WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH AS FAR AS FOR SOME OF OUR COMMUNITIES IN REGARDS TO PUBLIC UTILITIES, SPECIFICALLY SEWER, BECAUSE WE'RE ALL A LITTLE BIT HAMSTRING IN REGARD TO OUR SEWER CAPACITY ACROSS WEST TENNESSEE.

BUT IT'S GONNA HAVE AN INCREDIBLE IMPACT.

I DON'T THINK WE CAN REALLY GET OUR ARMS AROUND HOW BIG IT'S GOING TO BE AT THIS POINT.

>> FOR YOU JOHN IN BARTLETT, BARTLETT, DEFENDING HOW FAST YOU DRIVE IS 25, 30 MINUTES FROM THIS SITE.

IT'S VERY EASILY PEOPLE RELOCATING TO THE GREATER MEMPHIS AREA TO WORK IN THE FACILITIES MARK JUST TALKED ABOUT.

>> TWENTY MINUTES.

>> YEAH, IT'S 20 MINUTES, DEPENDING WHERE YOU ARE.

SO, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT, "WELL, IT'S NOT IN MEMPHIS, IT'S A LONG WAYS AWAY."

IT'S A LONG WAYS AWAY, BUT NOT REALLY.

RIGHT, IT'S 50 MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN.

FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT'S A SHORT COMMUTE IN OTHER CITIES.

>> IT'S 14 MILES FROM THE SHELBY COUNTY BORDER.

>> LET'S START WITH BARTLETT, BUT THEN I WANT TO GET INTO SOME HISTORY YOU HAVE WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN TENNESSEE.

BUT WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT IN BARTLETT IN TERMS OF WHAT THIS COULD DO TO THE COMMUNITY?

>> WELL IT'S GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT, AS MARK WAS TALKING ABOUT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO BENEFIT FROM THIS.

MEMPHIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT BENEFICIARY.

I'VE HEARD SOME SAY MEMPHIS ISN'T GOING TO GET MUCH OUT OF THIS, WELL, THAT'S NOT TRUE.

I MEAN, JUST LOOK AT NASHVILLE AND LOOK AT WHAT GM AND NISSAN HAS DONE FOR THAT WHOLE METRO AREA.

BARTLETT STANDS TO GAIN GREATLY FROM THIS.

RESIDENTIAL ROOFTOPS, INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT.

I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO BENEFIT, EVERYONE SHOULD BENEFIT FROM THIS.

SO I DON'T THINK BARTLETT IS GOING TO BE ANY BETTER OFF THAN ANYONE ELSE.

>> BEFORE I GO TO BILL, ARE THE BENEFITS EVEN, I DON'T WANT TO BE NEGATIVE, BUT THERE'S ALSO SOME PLANNING THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

MARK MENTIONED SEWERS.

YOU LOOK AT COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT EXPLODED, NASHVILLE ONE OF THEM, THEY KIND OF OUTGREW THEMSELVES.

ATLANTA, YOU CAN'T GET ANYWHERE.

YOU'RE 40 MINUTES FROM ANYWHERE WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO DRIVE IN ATLANTA.

ARE YOU ALSO STARTING TO TALK ABOUT PLANNING FOR THIS REALLY ATTRACTIVE AND WANTED GROWTH?

>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

WE HAVE CHALLENGES.

AND SO WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THOSE CHALLENGES.

SO, YES, WE NEED TO DO SOME PLANNING, AND I'VE ALREADY BEEN REACHED, CONTACTED BY SOME FOLKS THAT ARE OFFERING THEIR SERVICES, THEIR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IN THAT AREA.

SO, BUT THOSE ARE ISSUES THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS.

NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

>> RIGHT.

BILL?

>> MARK, I THINK WE FIRST HEARD ABOUT FORD MAKING THIS COMMITMENT TO TWO BATTERY SITES IN NORTH AMERICA IN MAY.

I REMEMBER FROM TALKING TO YOU TODAY THAT THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE, YOU WERE ACTUALLY ON THE TRAIL OF THIS A COUPLE MONTHS BEFORE THAT.

>> I GOT INVOLVED IN MARCH, IN EARLY MARCH IN THIS BILL.

>> DID YOU KNOW WHO IT WAS?

I'M SORRY.

>> I DIDN'T KNOW FOR A LITTLE BIT, A FEW WEEKS, AND THEN WHEN WE STARTED GETTING READY TO HAVE SOME IN-PERSON MEETINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT I HAD TO SIGN A NONDISCLOSURE AGREEMENT.

>> SO, I TAKE IT, THEY HAD A PRETTY BIG LIST OF POTENTIAL SITES THAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT, AND THEY HAD TWO CHOICES TO MAKE ULTIMATELY.

>> WELL, WE WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF WHERE THEY WERE LOOKING, THAT THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY EVER MADE US AWARE OF AND SHARED WITH US.

BUT I KNEW THEY WERE LOOKING IN A COUPLE PLACES IN THE SOUTH.

WE KNEW WE HAD COMPETITION.

BUT IT ALL STARTED WITH THAT SITE.

THE SEARCH BEGAN, I THINK THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A VERY LARGE SITE.

I THINK THEY REALLY WANTED TO BUILD A CAMPUS SITUATION.

SO WE'VE GOT THE LARGEST SITE IN THE COUNTRY.

FOURTY-ONE HUNDRED ACRES OF LAND, AND CONTIGUOUS THIRTY-SEX HUNDRED ACRES ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE ROAD TOGETHER.

SO IT ALL STARTED WITH THAT, WITH THE SITE ITSELF.

THEY WERE VERY PLEASED I THINK WHEN THEY GOT A CHANCE TO ACTUALLY COME AND LOOK AND ANALYZE AND DO DUE DILIGENCE ON THAT SIDE.

>> IS THE IDEA THAT ALL OF THE SUPPORTING INDUSTRIES WITH THIS, ALL OF THE SUPPLIERS WILL BE ON THAT CAMPUS?

>> I DON'T THINK SO, BILL.

I THINK YOU'LL SEE A NUMBER OF COMPANIES THAT FORD ACTUALLY INVESTS IN THAT WILL COME ON SITE WITH THEM, KINDA LIKE SK.

THAT WILL BE A JOINT VENTURE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THEM.

BUT I THINK YOU'LL SEE OTHER SUPPLIERS, TIER TWO, TIER THREE, THAT WILL COME IN CLOSER PROXIMITY.

THIS WILL BE A JUST IN TIME TYPE OF FACILITY WHERE SEATS WILL GET THERE 20, 30 MINUTES BEFORE THEY GO INTO THE VEHICLE, ELECTRONICS, BRAKES.

PROBABLY SOMEWHERE AROUND 30,000 TRUCK MOVEMENTS A WEEK, IN AND OUT OF THIS FACILITY TO BRING THOSE COMPONENTS IN AND OUT.

SO I THINK YOU'LL SEE A NUMBER LOCATE ON SITE, BUT I THINK YOU'LL ALSO SEE A NUMBER OF, JUST LIKE WITH VOLKSWAGEN AND NISSAN THROUGHOUT THE REGION.

LOOK UP THE I-75 CORRIDOR, BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH OF CHATTANOOGA AND YOU SEE A NUMBER OF SUPPLIERS, AND THE SAME WITH TOYOTA AND MAZDA IN HUNTSVILLE.

SOUTHERN, MIDDLE TENNESSEE ALREADY GOT THREE OR FOUR INDUSTRIES OUT OF THAT TOYOTA-MAZDA PROJECT.

>> JOHN, YOU WERE AROUND WHEN THIS AUTO CORRIDOR THAT WE HAVE IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE THAT GOES INTO GEORGIA, CHATTANOOGA, THAT WHOLE AREA WAS REALLY STARTING TO TAKE SHAPE.

AND IT WAS KIND OF A HARD THING FOR PEOPLE TO REALIZE BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAID AUTO MANUFACTURING IN THE 1980s, THE EARLY 1980s, WHEN NISSAN MADE THE DECISION TO COME TO SMYRNA, PEOPLE THOUGHT DETROIT.

>> EXACTLY.

>> AS HARD AS THAT IS TO BELIEVE NOW, PEOPLE THOUGHT DETROIT.

THAT IT WAS PRETTY HARD FOR PEOPLE TO SEE THIS KIND OF CORRIDOR OF MANUFACTURING.

WHAT DID WE LEARN FROM THAT?

AND CAN ONE STATE HAVE TWO OF THESE CORRIDORS?

OR DO THE TWO CORRIDORS BECOME ONE?

>> WELL, IT WAS A HUGE GAME CHANGER.

AND I WAS IN E.C.D.

WHEN NISSAN AND BOTH GM ANNOUNCED.

IT HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED THE PERSPECTIVE THAT A LOT OF INDUSTRIES HAD ABOUT TENNESSEE AND THE SOUTH.

KEEP IN MIND, BACK IN THE '80s THE JAPANESE WERE JUST GOING GANG BUSTERS AND THEY HAD A REPUTATION THAT WHEN THEY MADE A DECISION IT WAS A VERY SOLID DECISION.

THEY WERE VERY SLOW AND METHODICAL, AND TOOK THEIR TIME.

BUT WHEN THEY MADE A DECISION, EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY AMERICANS, SAID, "OH, THEY'VE REALLY RESEARCHED THIS."

SO WHEN NISSAN ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE COMING TO TENNESSEE, IT OPENED THE EYES OF A LOT OF OTHER INDUSTRIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND FROM THAT MOMENT FORWARD, TENNESSEE STARTED TO SEE A LOT MORE ACTIVITY AS FAR AS NEW INDUSTRIES COMING IN.

AND THEN SHORTLY AFTER THAT, GENERAL MOTORS ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BUILD THEIR SATURN PLANT IN TENNESSEE, IN SPRING HILL.

AND THAT JUST ADDED FUEL TO THAT.

SO I WAS WITH E.C.D.

ALL THROUGH THE '80s, AND MOST OF MY JOB AT THAT TIME WAS TAKING VENDORS, FIRST AND SECOND TIER SUPPLIERS, TO NISSAN AND GENERAL MOTORS AND FINDING LOCATIONS FOR THEM WITHIN A TWO TO THREE-HOUR RADIUS OF THOSE PLANTS.

SO WE SAW A LOT OF ACTIVITY.

NOW, WHEN I WAS AT E.C.D., THE PREVAILING ATTITUDE WAS THAT THERE WAS THE I-65 CORRIDOR WHICH CUT THROUGH NASHVILLE DOWN TO HUNTSVILLE AND BIRMINGHAM, AND THEN THERE WAS THE I-75 CORRIDOR.

AND ALL DURING THE '80s AND '90s AND UP UNTIL RECENTLY UNTIL NISSAN BUILT THE PLANT DOWN IN JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, THE ATTITUDE WAS THAT ALL AUTOMOTIVE FACILITIES WOULD BE ALONG THOSE TWO CORRIDORS.

NOW OF COURSE WE'VE SEEN IT MOVE OVER TO THE WEST, BUT IT'S TAKEN MANY DECADES FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.

>> WHAT WAS THE RESISTANCE?

>> YEAH, WHY?

>> WHY WOULD THEY NOT BUILD IN MEMPHIS?

WHY WOULD THEY NOT BUILD ON THE I-40 CORRIDOR?

OR THE I-55 CORRIDOR?

>> WELL, IF YOU LOOK AT THE I-65 AND I-75 CORRIDOR, THEY ALL LEAD TO MICHIGAN, OKAY.

AND THEY ALL WENT THROUGH HIO AND KENTUCKY WHERE THERE WAS ALREADY, A LOT OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE WAS ALREADY THERE.

SO IT JUST MADE SENSE THAT THEY WOULD JUST FOLLOW THIS STRAIGHT LINE, THAT'S KIND OF HOW PEOPLE THINK, A TO B, YOU KNOW.

SO OVER HERE IN WEST TENNESSEE IT'S LIKE, OH, OKAY, WELL, WE'RE OUT OF THAT CORRIDOR, SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANYTHING.

THEN WHEN NISSAN WENT TO JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, THAT KIND OF ALTERED THAT.

YOU STARTED SEEING THINGS MOVING A LITTLE BIT TO THE WEST AND TOYOTA ANNOUNCED IN BLUE SPRINGS, SO, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME IN COMING, BUT IT'S COME.

>> THE OTHER QUESTION, MARK, IS WERE YOU LOOKING OVER YOUR SHOULDER AT SOME MIDDLE TENNESSEE COMPETITION FOR THIS PROJECT?

>> YES, WE WERE.

AND OTHER COMPETITION.

WE'VE GOT COMPETITION VERY CLOSE TO US HERE NOW.

WE'VE GOT A MEGASITE IN HOLLY SPRINGS, MISSISSIPPI, WE'VE GOT A MEGASITE IN WEST MEMPHIS, ARKANSAS.

SO, YEAH, WE WERE LOOKING OVER OUR SHOULDERS.

BUT WE WERE PREPARED, YOU KNOW, I WORKED AT THE MEMPHIS CHAMBER FOR 14 YEARS.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A BELIEVER IN THE MEGASITE.

I WOULD GO BACK TO 2006 OR '07 WHEN WE DID THE VERY FIRST CERTIFICATION WHEN MYSELF AND PAUL LATOUR, WHO WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE JACKSON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THEN, WHO'S NOW THE HEAD OF THE RUTHERFORD COUNTY CHAMBER WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS TO GET THAT CERTIFIED.

SO BEEN INVOLVED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS WITH THAT SITE.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID WHICH WAS JUST THE TIMING COULDN'T HAVE BEEN BETTER IS THE ORGANIZATION THAT I MANAGE, WE CONDUCTED A VERY IN DEPTH, VERY EXPENSIVE LABOR ANALYSIS OF THE MEGASITE LAST YEAR THAT WAS FINISHED RIGHT AROUND THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.

SO IT CAME OUT LITERALLY RIGHT BEFORE THIS PROJECT HIT.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO SHOW THAT WE HAVE A LARGE URBAN WORKFORCE, THE SAME WORKFORCE THAT WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN LOCATING CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS IN NIKE AND ALL THESE INDUSTRIES IN MEMPHIS, ALL THE INDUSTRIES IN DESOTO COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO PROVE THAT TO THE COMPANY THAT WE DO HAVE A LARGE URBAN WORKFORCE TO PULL FROM AND A LOT OF QUALITY PEOPLE AND A LOT OF GREAT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES HERE AS WELL.

>> TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT, I MEAN ONE OF THE THINGS THE STATE FUNDING IS FOR IS $40 MILLION TO BUILD A NEW TCAT, A TENNESSEE...I CAN'T DO THE-- >> COLLEGE OF APPLIED TECHNOLOGY.

NOT QUITE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, BUT LEARN TO WELD, LEARN TO BE A MACHINIST, ALL KINDS OF COMPUTER TRAINING, ALL THAT.

THERE WILL BE A TCAT ON THE SITE.

>> AND THAT IS TYPICAL FOR ALL THE, THAT I UNDERSTAND, I THINK THERE'S A TCAT ON THE CHATTANOOGA CAMPUS WITH VOLKSWAGON >> YEAH, AND THE NISSAN ONE.

AND YOU'VE DONE, I'LL GO TO YOU.

YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE OVER THE YEARS.

IN BARTLETT YOU ALL HAVE A VERY NICE MEDICAL DEVICE ECOSYSTEM THERE, THERE'S A COUPLE OF BIG ONES AND ALL THE LITTLE FOLLOW ALONG ONES.

IT'S VERY BIG AND IMPRESSIVE.

IT'S NOT THE FORD SCALE, BUT IT'S A SIMILAR DYNAMIC, AND YOU ALL HAVE A LOT OF, YOU'VE WORKED A LOT WITH LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS, WITH LOCALCOMMUNITY COLLEGES TO KEEP THE FLOW OF EMPLOYEES INTO THOSE MEDICAL DEVICE COMPANIES.

>> YES.

IF I COULD JUST MENTION THAT WE'VE DONE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF THE MEDICAL DEVICE INDUSTRY IN THE MEMPHIS METRO AREA, OKAY.

WE DID ONE BACK IN I THINK IT WAS 2017, YOUNG AND ASSOCIATES DID THAT FOR US.

THE IMPACT THAT THE MEDICAL DEVICE INDUSTRY HAS ON THE ECONOMY, LOCAL ECONOMY, IS AS STRONG AS WHAT FORD WILL HAVE, OKAY.

THE DIFFERENCE IS FORD IS ONE BIG PROJECT.

THE MEDICAL DEVICE IS SPREAD OUT AMONG MANY.

NOW, WHEN I WAS WORKING WITH THE MEDICAL DEVICE INDUSTRY AND WE WERE TRYING TO ADDRESS THIS CONCERN THAT THEY HAD ABOUT HAVING A SUSTAINABLE PIPELINE OF SKILLED WORKERS, THE MAIN CONCERN WAS MACHINISTS.

AND I GOT TO KNOW A LOT ABOUT THAT INDUSTRY, OKAY.

SO THE THING THEY ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT IN THE MEDICAL DEVICE INDUSTRY WAS, LOOK, CNC MACHINISTS ARE BIG IN THREE INDUSTRIES, MEDICAL DEVICE, AEROSPACE, AND AUTOMOTIVE.

SO THESE STUDENTS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF BARTLETT HIGH SCHOOL, ARLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL, NOW HAS A CNC SHOP, AND TCAT, THE FACILITY WE HAD IN BARTLETT WHICH WAS PRIMARILY FUNDED BECAUSE OF THE MEDICAL DEVICE CLUSTER WE HAVE IN THE AREA, THE PEOPLE COMING OUT OF THOSE CLASSES OR LEARNING THOSE SKILLS COULD EASILY FEED INTO THE FORD PROJECT.

>> DOES THAT, THE PESSIMISTIC VIEW OF THAT IS, WELL, NOW THERE'S GOING TO BE EVEN MORE DEMAND FOR A FINITE LABOR POOL.

THE OPTIMISTIC VIEW IS, AND I'LL GO TO YOU MARK, THAT MEANS THAT MUCH FOR TRAINING AND MORE RELOCATIONS OF PEOPLE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

>> IF YOU LOOK AROUND THE COUNTRY, LOOK AT TUPELO, IF YOU ATE TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA WHERE MERCEDES IS, YOU LOOK AT WHER THE HYUNDAI PLANT IS, YOU LOOK AT OOLTEWAH NEAR CHATTANOOGA IF YOU LOOK AT AT SPRING HILL, ALL OF THOSE PLACES, REALLY FROM A POPULATION PERSPECTIVE, HAVE EXPLODED.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE HUGE IN MIGRATION-- >> WITH NEW COMMERCE?

>> IN MIGRATION, WHERE WE'VE SEEN OUT MIGRATION.

ESPECIALLY IN HAYWOOD COUNTY, HAYWOOD COUNTY HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN AGRICULTURAL COUNTY.

IT'S BEEN ONE OF THE BREAD BASKET COUNTIES OF THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

IT'S ONE OF THE TOP COTTON-PRODUCING, STILL THE TOP COTTON-PRODUCING COUNTY IN THE ENTIRE STATE.

SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR MANUFACTURING.

IT WAS AN AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY.

THAT WAS REALLY KIND OF WENT AWAY WHEN CORPORATE FARMING STARTED TAKING HOLD IN THE '80s AND '90s.

THEN WHEN THE PASSENGER RAILROADS WENT AWAY IN THE '70s YOU HAD A DOUBLE WHAMMY THERE WHERE REALLY THEY HAD TO START TO TRY TO READJUST.

NOW WE'VE GOT THIS HUGE MANUFACTURING CENTER THERE AND IT'S GOING TO REALLY SEE EXPLOSIVE GROWTH THERE AND WE'RE GOING TO BRING A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE IN, WE'RE GONNA DO A LOT OF NEW TRAINING, AND WE'RE REALLY GOING TO PROMOTE THIS TENNESSEE AND WEST TENNESSEE AS BEING THE NEW CENTER OF E.V.

PRODUCTION IN THE ENTIRE WORLD.

THIS FACILITY IS GOING TO BE THEIR MOST SUSTAINABLE, MOST IMPRESSIVE FACILITY IN THE WORLD, AND FORD IS GOING TO BRING PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO SEE HOW THEY'RE DOING THIS BUSINESS.

>> THE THING IS, BEFORE I GO TO BILL, AGAIN, THE CYNICS OR SKEPTICS WILL SAY, YEAH BUT ELECTROLUX.

ELECTROLUX, THAT MADE VACUUMS, THERE WAS A LOT OF FANFARE, BUILT A FACTORY HERE, WAS GOING TO HIRE 1,000 PEOPLE, I THINK MAYBE THEY GOT TO SOME HUNDREDS, ULTIMATELY CLOSED THAT AND CONSOLIDATED ELSEWHERE.

I THINK WHAT YOU WILL SAY IS, THAT WAS NICE, ELECTROLUX WAS A GREAT TRY, BUT THE SCALE IS SO DIFFERENT THAN WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FORD VERSUS ELECTROLUX.

>> THIS IS INCREDIBLY DIFFERENT.

JUST THE SITE ITSELF, YOU COULD TAKE THE NISSAN SITE, THE GM SITE AND THE VOLKSWAGEN SITE AND PUT IT ON THE MEGASITE AND HAVE OVER 1,000 ACRES LEFT OVER.

THIS IS A HUGE, IT'S GOING TO BE AN INDUSTRIAL MEGACOMPLEX.

SO IT IS VASTLY DIFFERENT, JUST THESE TWO BATTERY PLANTS ALONE WILL DWARF A FACTORY THE SIZE OF THE ELECTROLUX FACTORY.

SO IT IS A MASSIVE SCALE, AND IT, YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE SWITCHING TO THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY, IT LOOKS LIKE.

THE COMPANIES AROUND THE WORLD LIKE AMAZON AND FEDEX ARE GONNA DRIVE THAT.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS TRANSITION, WE'RE GOING TO BE AT THE CENTER OF THAT FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD HERE IN TENNESSEE AND WEST TENNESSEE.

>> BILL.

>> MARK, YOUR THREE-COUNTY AREA ALSO INCLUDES LAUDERDALE COUNTY.

I KNOW AT LEAST GOVERNORS HASLAM AND BREDESEN STRUGGLED IN THEIR ADMINISTRATIONS TO COME UP WITH SOME KIND OF ANSWER FOR THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN THAT HAD REALLY HIT LAUDERDALE PARTICULARLY HARD HERE IN WEST TENNESSEE.

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, LAUDERDALE COUNTY IS NOT REALLY A STRANGER TO MANUFACTURING.

>> CORRECT.

>> WELL, AND THE GREAT THING FOR RIPLEY AND LAUDERDALE COUNTY IS THEY'RE A REALLY SHORT DRIVE TO THE MEGASITE, A 25-MINUTE DRIVE TO THE MEGASITE REALLY GOOD ROAD, YOU CAN GET TO BROWNSVILLE ON HIGHWAY 19, WHICH IS GETTING READY TO BE WIDENED, AND THAT WAS ALREADY IN THE PLAN BEFORE THIS HAPPENED.

BUT, THEY'VE REALLY STABILIZED.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THERE, THEIR SCORING HAS GOTTEN BETTER, THEIR LABOR PARTICIPATION RATES HAVE IMPROVED.

THEY'VE DEVELOPED A NUMBER OF REALLY GREAT INDUSTRIAL PARKS.

WE'VE GOT THREE RAIL-SERVED INDUSTRIAL PARKS IN LAUDERDALE COUNTY NOW, A 110-ACRE PARK IN RIPLEY, AND 2 PARKS IN HALLS, TENNESSEE THAT CAN BE RAIL-SERVED.

SO, THEY'VE REALLY MADE GREAT IMPROVEMENTS.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE DOWNTOWN OF RIPLEY, IF YOU GO TO DOWNTOWN RILPEY I'D PUT THEIR COURT SQUARE UP AGAINST ANY MAIN STREET COURT SQUARE IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

THEY'VE DONE A REALLY INCREDIBLE JOB.

THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB WITH HIGHWAY 51, WHEREAS IF YOU LOOK IN SHELBY COUNTY AND SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS THROUGHOUT MY REGION, HIGHWAY 51 HAS SOME ISSUES WITH IT.

THEY'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB IN PLANNING THAT, AND MANAGING THAT GROWTH ON HIGHWAY 51.

THEN THEY'RE A REAL CLOSE DRIVE TO I-55 AND THE BRIDGE ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT DYERSBURG.

SO, THEIR TIME IS COMING.

THEY DID HAVE A LOT OF LOSS FROM TUPPERWARE AND SOME BIG INDUSTRIES THAT LEFT, BUT YOU'VE STILL GOT MARVIN WINDOWS AND KOMATSU AND AMERICAN GREETING CARDS AND A LOT OF COMPANIES THAT ARE THRIVING ACTUALLY AND DOING BETTER THAN THEY'VE EVER DONE BEFORE.

SO IT'S A POSITIVE OUTLOOK FOR LAUDERDALE COUNTY.

>> JOHN, THE AUTO INDUSTRY OBVIOUSLY IS NOT IMMUNE FROM TRENDS AND CHANGES.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE LESSONS THAT WE SHOULD KNOW AS A RESULT OF NISSAN AND SATURN AND GM COMING HERE?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY, IF YOU HAVE A STRONG CLUSTER IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS AND THAT INDUSTRY HAS A COLD, THEN EVERYBODY ELSE GETS THE FLU PRETTY MUCH.

IT DOES HAVE A RIPPLE EFFECT.

AND YOU SAW SOME DOWNTURNS WITH GM, FOR EXAMPLE THE SATURN PLANT WHEN THEY CLOSED SATURN THEY MOVED SOME OTHER PRODUCTION THERE, AND I BELIEVE THEY'RE TURNING SATURN INTO AN E.V.

VEHICLE FACILITY.

SO THEY'RE HAVING TO RAMP UP AND ALL THAT.

BUT TALKING ABOUT THE INBOUND MIGRATION THIS WILL HAVE, SPRING HILL I REMEMBER BEFORE IT WAS ANNOUNCED, I LOVE DRIVING THROUGH SPRING HILL.

IT'S A QUAINT LITTLE, CUTE LITTLE TOWN.

THERE'S 50,000 PEOPLE THERE NOW.

AND IT'S NOT JUST PEOPLE RE-MOVING AROUND IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE.

IT'S PEOPLE COMING IN TO FILL THOSE JOBS AND ALL THAT.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT.

I'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS INDUSTRY NOW FOR 40 YEARS IN TENNESSEE, AND I HAVE NOT SEEN A HUGE NEGATIVE IMPACT THAT IT'S HAD YET, OKAY.

THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THERE MAY NOT BE SOMETHING DOWN THE ROAD.

BUT RIGHT NOW I HAVE NOT SEEN WHERE THERE HAS BEEN A STRONG DECLINE IN THE ECONOMY IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE BECAUSE OF THAT.

IN FACT, I THINK IT'S JUST, THERE'S HICKUPS OCCASIONALLY, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING MAJOR HAPPEN.

>> MARK, WERE THERE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT FORD, AS WELL AS THE OTHER AUTO MAKERS, MAKING A BIG BET ON ELECTRIC VEHICLES?

IS THAT A RISK?

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

I BELIEVE THAT THE INDUSTRY IS HEADED THAT WAY.

THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT IS HEADED THAT WAY.

I THINK THE ENTIRE WORLD IS HEADED THAT WAY.

WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES BE BUILT.

WE'VE SEEN BATTERY TECHNOLOGY JUST IMPROVE EXPONENTIALLY EVERY YEAR.

I THINK THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS TRUCK, THE F-150 WILL GO 300+ MILES WITHOUT A CHARGE, AND WITH THE SUPER CHARGING STATIONS CAN CHARGE IN 20 MINUTES.

SO THE TECHNOLOGY IS GETTING TO A POINT WHERE I THINK IT'S COMING.

I DON'T THINK WE CAN STOP IT.

AND I THINK FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF BATTERIES AND RARE EARTH METALS, EVEN ALL THIS BATTERY RECYCLING THAT THEY'RE FIGURING OUT HOW TO DO IS GOING TO REALLY HELP THE ENVIRONMENT AS WELL BECAUSE THEY CAN RECYCLE ALMOST ALL THE RARE EARTH METALS OUT OF BATTERIES WHERE THEY WERE, BURYING THOSE BATTERIES, NOW THEY'RE RECYCLING THAT.

SO TECHNOLOGY IS DRASTICALLY IMPROVING EVERY YEAR.

>> WE'RE GONNA HAVE, MENTION THE OTHER SHOWS THAT WE'RE GONNA DO AND BEVERLY ROBERTSON, PRESIDENT OF THE MEMPHIS CHAMBER WILL BE ON IN A COUPLE WEEKS, ALONG WITH TED TOWNSEND THE HEAD OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THERE.

BUT BOTH OF Y'ALL, VETERENS OF THE MEMPHIS CHAMBER BEEN IN AND AROUND MEMPHIS, I GENERALLY TALK ABOUT MEMPHIS AS A REGION.

BUT I'VE HEARD SOME PEOPLE SAY, WELL, THIS ISN'T GOING TO IMPACT THE CORE OF MEMPHIS.

YOUR THOUGHTS?

I'LL GO TO YOU FIRST, JOHN?

>> MEMPHIS IS GOING TO BE IMPACTED GREATLY, AND TO THE POSITIVE SIDE, THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

>> WITH JOBS, WITH EVERYTHING?

>> MEMPHIS IS THE, YOU'VE GOT THE MEMPHIS AIRPORT OBVIOUSLY, PEOPLE WILL BE COMING AND GOING.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE DOWNTOWN ENTERTAINMENT, MID-TOWN ENTERTAINMENT.

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GRAVITATE TOWARD MEMPHIS FOR THEIR SERVICES, FOR THEIR ENJOYMENT.

SO YES, MEMPHIS IS GOING TO BE A BIG MAGNET FOR THIS WHOLE AREA AND IT'S GOING TO BENEFIT GREATLY.

ANYONE WHO DOESN'T THINK THAT MEMPHIS IS NOT GOING TO SEE THE BENEFITS FROM THIS IS, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.

>> WE'LL SEE DIRECT BENEFIT FROM THE EXECUTIVES LIVING IN MEMPHIS.

WE'LL SEE DIRECT BENEFIT FROM EMPLOYEES, PRODUCTION ASSEMBLY EMPLOYEES LIVING IN MEMPHIS AND COMMUTING OUT THERE.

WE'RE GOING TO SEE MANUFACTURING AND DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES COME TO MEMPHIS BECAUSE OF THIS PROJECT.

AND THEN EVERY COMMUNITY LIKE BROWNSVILLE, SOMERVILLE, COVINGTON, RIPLEY THAT GROW, JUST LIKE MURFREESBORO AND LEBANON, NASHVILLE IS THE HUB OF THAT.

MEMPHIS IS GONNA BE THE HUB OF ALL THE ENTERTAINMENT, ALL THE DINING OUT.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO SEE ALL THAT BENEFIT IN A WAY THAT I DON'T THINK WE CAN CALCULATE AT THIS POINT.

>> THE THING YOU'VE GOT TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT THIS PROJECT WILL INJECT A MINIMUM OF $1 BILLION A YEAR OF NEW WAGES INTO THE ECONOMY.

THINK ABOUT THAT.

A BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR COMING INTO THE ECONOMY, AS NEW WAGES.

>> IF A TENTH OF THAT IS SPENT IN MEMPHIS PROPER, THAT'S $100 MILLION.

AND IT WILL PROBABLY BE MORE, JUST BECAUSE OF THE DYNAMICS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

A MINUTE LEFT.

HOW MUCH WAS MEMPHIS ITSELF A PART OF THE CONVERSATION WITH FORD?

THE FEDEX, THE AUTOZONE, THE GRIZZLIES THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT YOU AND I WE'VE TALKED ABOUT-- >> ALL OF THAT WAS PART OF IT AND WE BROUGHT THE MEMPHIS CHAMBER IN IN LATE JUNE, EARLY JULY TO REALLY START COMMUNICATING THAT INFORMATION.

WE BROUGHT IN THE JACKSON CHAMBER AS WELL.

ONCE THEY DETERMINED THE SITE WAS REALLY WHAT THEY WANTED, AND IT WORKED THEN IT SWITCHED TO QUALITY OF LIFE AND WORKFORCE.

AND THAT'S WHEN WE REALLY TEAMED UP AS A REGION AND I THINK EVERYTHING CHANGED THE FIRST WEEK OR TWO OF AUGUST, WE HAD BOTH SK AND FORD IN TOWN FOR THREE DAYS SOLID AND SPENT THOSE THREE DAYS WITH THEM.

AND I THINK BY THE TIME THEY LEFT, AND WE SHOWED THEM OUR GREAT QUALITY OF LIFE, OUR GREAT EDUCATION SYSTEM AND WHAT WE COULD DO FROM A WORKFORCE PERSPECTIVE, I THINK THAT'S WHAT SOLD THE DEAL.

>> AND JUST 20 SECONDS LEFT...

I TOTALLY FORGOT MY QUESTION.

SO WE'RE GONNA LEAVE IT THERE.

I REALLY HAVEN'T DONE THAT IN A LONG TIME.

I'M SORRY, IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE QUESTION, TOO.

AND THE ANSWER WOULD'VE BEEN SO AND REALLY SHED INCREDIBLE-- >> WE'LL HAVE IT ON THE PODCAST.

>> YEAH, WE'LL PUT IT ON THE PODCAST.

JOHN, MARK, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

BILL, THANK YOU.

AGAIN WE'LL TALK TO THE MEMPHIS CHAMBER FOLKS IN A COUPLE WEEKS.

YOU CAN GET PAST EPISODES OF THE SHOW ON WKNO.ORG.

YOU CAN SEARCH FOR BEHIND THE HEADLINES ON YOUTUBE.

OR AS BILL JUST MENTIONED, IT'S ALSO A PODCAST WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

[INTENSE ORCHESTRAL MUSIC] [ACOUSTIC GUITAR CHORDS]