Quote:
Originally Posted by gsoboi78
The problem i see is that every state with multiple auto plants and suppliers had to start some where. Those states didnt always have suppliers and they still got auto plants. I dont think there is no hope in NC getting an autoplant. North Carolina's time will come. In this case I see how it makes sense. Alabama already has facilities that make Toyota engines/parts. However I will say it is a shock because I really believed we had the best shot at it. But we put the best incentive package together and still lost which does lead me to think that where planning to build it in Alabama from the start.
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A few observations from the other side.
Huntsville won beyond incentives. After Volkswagen chose Chattanooga over Huntsville 5 years ago the city has been working diligently to prepare the site.
Sasaki Associates, the Boston firm that wrote the master plan for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, developed a master plan for nearly 10,000 acres in the newly Huntsville annexed land. Includes greenways, residential, schools. So when this project was announced last August a lot of prep work was already done.
The site is shovel ready with TVA power upgrades. road upgrades done or ready to implement.
A united front of from all involved, state, federal, local, TVA, Athens, Decatur, Madison, Huntsville, Morgan, Limestone and Madison counties.
Huntsville has a long history (decades) for competing for big projects and winning, (Remington, Polaris, GE, Blue Origin, Toyota Engines, Home to NASA, Redstone Arsenal 38,000 employees, Cummings Research Park another 26,000 employees are just a few)
Huntsville International Airport world class cargo operations and US customs, port of entry nearby.
Toyota wanted additional acreage for a supplier park which this site can provide.
Personal relationships..it helps to know people, Alabama has a long excellent relationship with Japan.
North Carolina underestimated the competition and focused on the incentives only it appears.
Lose lips? seemed there was a lot of press about the NC site but very little ever said about the Huntsville site. Secrecy is a Big deal in these things, maybe something came out Toyota didn't want it to. Just an observation.
The site in the long run is a better fit for what Toyota wanted
Huntsville won (this win is better than Volkswagen) because we lost and learned, North Carolina will win
with this site as well. The key is to keep preparing the site