Another auto plant? (Huntsville: work, home, business)

[FCEddie]

Michigan - out because of unions.

What they do for the southern plants is pay competitive wages and great benefits to keep the unions from getting into the plants.

Auto execs: Both thought the plant was not a lock for AL, but had a great chance. Both mentioned the 57 German companies already in the state as one of the biggest lures.

[Reactionary]

Looks like VW has narrowed the site selection down to a choice between TVA megasites:

Automotive analysts and experts expect Volkswagen to consider sites in Chattanooga, the Clarksville area and northern Alabama for a possible new U.S. assembly plant.

The three sites have been certified as automotive manufacturing megasites...

Sites vie for possible Volkswagen plant, including northern Alabama - Breaking News from The Huntsville Times - al.com

[Frankie117]

Originally Posted by Reactionary

Looks like VW has narrowed the site selection down to a choice between TVA megasites:



Sites vie for possible Volkswagen plant, including northern Alabama - Breaking News from The Huntsville Times - al.com

I read it, and to me it seemed like those were the most likely candidates. The officials/'experts' are only guessing. A few months ago SC media thought VW had chosen already, but the company representatives moved on.

Even if North Alabama absorbs this plant too, Audi has been looking in to a new plant, Toyota might be prospecting in the near future, and Honda wants to expand US operations. All of them could possibly come to Alabama.

[Huntsville_secede]

Originally Posted by mimpdaddy

I didn't have problem with Huntsville until I came here.As matter of fact people in Montgomery region say good things about Huntsville. On the other hand, every person I talk to from here can't stand to say anything good about any other part of alabama.But Huntsville is not all that great. People up here think Huntsville "is the best thing since sliced bread" its like they never been anywhere.For awhile they looked down on the rest of alabama.Even the news stations keep it in a box and never mention anything going on outside of the tennesse valley. Huntsville made me dislike it, I came to Huntsville with an open mind and use to love it here. But not anymore!!

Funny, "we think Huntsville is the best thing since sliced bread like we have been nowhere else?" I doubt that since a lot of people in Huntsville aren't even from there, and I am very critical of Huntsville and how it could be a much better city, the downtown sucks, there are few young professionals, the workforce being mostly engineers, etc. and I've been to most of the states in the US, and I'm not from Huntsville I just think its one of the more attractive cities in Alabama. I also differ in opinion from you because I happen to like the diversity of Huntsville and think its one of the more attractive things it has to offer, you have to must really hate Atlanta if you don't like diversity so much. But you can't deny the economic prosperity going on in Huntsville right now and the retail boom it has as much to offer as any city in this state with the exception of Birmingham. And its not that we dislike other places we are proud of our city there is nothing wrong with that. I really like Mobile and Birmingham so its not so much that I don't like the state, yeah Montgomery isn't my favorite city in the state but I would never say I hope Montgomery doesn't get a plant like you seem to do with Huntsville I said I hope Huntsville gets it thats completely different than what you are saying cause I would also be happy if somewhere else in Alabama got it. Part of the reason I was hoping Huntsville got it is because I knew they had a really good chance with the TVA Megasite in Athens/annexed Huntsville and the recent closing of the Delphi plant in Athens meaning they already are trained auto workers in the area that may need a job. Its better for Huntsville to get it than no one in the state if what those analysts in the article are saying is really true.

[EagleFeatherFloats]

They really should start plants that make space ships because our planet is gonna be real uncomfortable when the weather goes wacko in the near future. A critical climate balance threshold is near when the delicate equilibrium of atmosphere and ocean is going to suddenly gyrate in some horrendous ways. Try to imaging the Sahara flooding from torrential rainstorms that continue nonstop for MONTHS at a time... Imagine central USA as a new sahara desert in two years time? No water ANYWHERE and no hope for a drop unless its trucked there. THIS is the picture they are horrified will become public. USA DOD Project HAARP is one of the main contributors to the peculiar disequilibrium in the climate controls of our planet.

The only problem with the space ships is WHERE WOULD WE GO?

(This post is an experiment and quite different from my other attempts to stimulate.)

[jsherman9901]

Originally Posted by Frankie117

Toyota might be prospecting in the near future

Somehow I doubt that. There have been some hints lately that Toyota has overexpanded in the U.S., especially given the current business climate and high gas prices. There was talk recently that they had cut employees' workweeks to 35 hours in their San Antonio Tundra plant, and that the new Highlander plant near Tupelo may not come on line as soon as originally thought.

[mimpdaddy]

Originally Posted by Huntsville_secede

Funny, "we think Huntsville is the best thing since sliced bread like we have been nowhere else?" I doubt that since a lot of people in Huntsville aren't even from there, and I am very critical of Huntsville and how it could be a much better city, the downtown sucks, there are few young professionals, the workforce being mostly engineers, etc. and I've been to most of the states in the US, and I'm not from Huntsville I just think its one of the more attractive cities in Alabama. I also differ in opinion from you because I happen to like the diversity of Huntsville and think its one of the more attractive things it has to offer, you have to must really hate Atlanta if you don't like diversity so much. But you can't deny the economic prosperity going on in Huntsville right now and the retail boom it has as much to offer as any city in this state with the exception of Birmingham. And its not that we dislike other places we are proud of our city there is nothing wrong with that. I really like Mobile and Birmingham so its not so much that I don't like the state, yeah Montgomery isn't my favorite city in the state but I would never say I hope Montgomery doesn't get a plant like you seem to do with Huntsville I said I hope Huntsville gets it thats completely different than what you are saying cause I would also be happy if somewhere else in Alabama got it. Part of the reason I was hoping Huntsville got it is because I knew they had a really good chance with the TVA Megasite in Athens/annexed Huntsville and the recent closing of the Delphi plant in Athens meaning they already are trained auto workers in the area that may need a job. Its better for Huntsville to get it than no one in the state if what those analysts in the article are saying is really true.

I like diversity too.But you have to understand I love Alabama.If Huntsville gets the plant thats great.I dont totally hate Huntsville, I just wish that I one of our more traditional cities could get more.Huntsville is one sided to me. It doesn't have that favor along with grow that makes a city great.for instance look at Atlanta like you said , its has plenty of favor nothing like Huntsville. I hope mobile keeps going strong because it's that type of city that could blend both.

[marmac]

I read in a paper yesterday that at least one Alabama city is hoping Chattanooga TN gets the plant.

The reason is ,they are hoping to get a plant that supplies parts to the auto plant and to get that one must be 50 miles away ( job competition) and have a location (freeway) that is easily accessable to the auto plant some 50+ miles away.

I-59 corridor would be that Alabama place if Chattanooga got it.

[Huntsville_secede]

All speculation but they are saying Chattanooga is probably the frontrunner

http://www.al.com/business/birminghamnews/....xml&coll=2

Volkswagen might find the region attractive because of a collection of high-tech companies in Huntsville and a highly skilled work force, said Michael Randle, editor and publisher of Birmingham-based Southern Business and Development magazine and a Web site, www.southernautocorridor.com.

"The labor shed up there is incredibly talented because of the cluster of companies they have," he said. "It's just a happening place with incredible deals, and companies like to get on the bandwagon."
Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed

"Toyota has proven that Huntsville in general can draw all the way to Nashville in terms of labor," he said.

Volkswagen said last week it had narrowed its site search for a potential U.S. factory to Alabama, Tennessee and Michigan. Since then, analysts have zeroed in on TVA-certified megasites in Alabama and Tennessee as likely contenders.

Besides the TVA site near Athens, other such sites include those near Chattanooga and Clarksville, Tenn. Certification means the sites have met certain criteria, including those for access, utilities and work force.

Analysts told The (Nashville) Tennessean in a Sunday story that Chattanooga could be the front runner. Meanwhile, Michigan has been roundly discounted.

Randle said the project smells like a TVA deal, noting Volkswagen's key concern about site readiness. But he added that Huntsville's mass annexations could be a clue.

"I've learned that if somebody's annexing a bunch of land, there's a reason," he said.

[FCEddie]

Haven't heard any news in a bit. They are saying that Audi and Porsche could share the plant.