TVA to locate in industrial park
The Daily Sentinel
Published April 21, 2010
It's been a long process, a huge investment that is now beginning to pay off for the Jackson County Industrial Park at Hollywood.
Smiles were evident Tuesday afternoon at Scottsboro City Hall as the city's Industrial Development Board handed over the deed and keys to its speculative building in the Jackson County Industrial Park in Hollywood.
The Tennessee Valley Authority has purchased one of two speculative buildings built in the sprawling 300-plus acre park located off U.S. Highway 72. The Jackson County Economic Development Authority owns the other building, just over 60,000 square feet in size.
The utility will locate a new nuclear training facility in the 36,000 square foot building. It also purchased 13.5 acres of land adjacent to the structure, which will provide direct access to County Road 33.
We would like to welcome TVA, Johnny Ivey, Chairman of the Scottsboro IDB, said. This is a great addition to our industrial park. It will be a huge economic boost for our area.
The site, which will be used as a processing and training center, was chosen because it is centrally located in TVA's service area. The formal announcement will be made Wednesday at the facility at 3 p.m.
The only reason we are here is because that building is up and ready,TVA Senior Transition Manager Greg Hadden said. It's a shovel ready site, which makes a difference to TVA. It made all the difference in the world.
KTNA and Manroy U.S.A. located locally because of those spec buildings,Goodrich DusRogers, President and CEO of the JCDEA said. KTNA built their own building in the park and Manroy occupied an existing building in the Scottsboro Industrial Park. Those two buildings have been a good investment in our efforts.
The utility is expected to employ between 12 and 50 people to operate the facility. As many as 200-250 TVA employees may be in training at the site at any one time, according to Goodrich DusRogers, President and CEO of the JCDEA.
I think this is very exciting,State Sen. Lowell Barron told The Daily Sentinel by phone. The fact that TVA is putting a nuclear training facility in the park is huge. It will help the Scottsboro and Jackson County economy as much as a plant that would employ 200-300 people.
TVA plans to finish the interior of the building by late August, which by some accounts could include a second story addition. Local tradesmen will be employed during the construction phase. It will be used as a site for orientation and training of new-hire and supplemental employees who will be working at various TVA locations.
Members of the IDB Board, JCEDA Board, Scottsboro Mayor Melton Potter, Hollywood Mayor Virginia Bergman and councilwoman Carolyn Martin, state representatives Johnny Robinson and Butch Taylor, Roy Light of the Scottsboro Water Sewer and Gas Board and other governmental officials were on hand for the announcement.
It took courage to build this speculative building,Robinson said. It proves the old maxim, ‘if you build it they will come.'
All agreed that the announcement and TVA's intentions for use of the facility is good news for the local economy. Trainees and employees will be coming and going regularly for various types of training, which will benefit local motels, restaurants and retailers.
It's a big boost,Taylor said. It's a good day for Scottsboro and Jackson County.
We are excited at the job opportunities that are coming to the area. We appreciate the trust TVA has placed on our community and our area,Bergman said. We are glad things are changing for the better.
It's a great day for Scottsboro and Jackson County,Ivey said. This is not a normal industry as one would think of it but it will bring good paying jobs in and people in to train, which will have a huge economic impact. We believe it should help create further retail and commercial development in the area.