Tennessee

Legislature approves Ford’s Blue Oval City, largest investment in state history


With some members calling it a “metamorphic moment” for West Tennessee, the Legislature approved a $900 million incentive package for Ford Motor Co. and, despite criticism, created a board with broad powers to oversee the project.

Wrapping up a special session, the Senate and House passed funding Wednesday for the campus dubbed Blue Oval City at the Memphis Regional Megasite as well as the megasite authority, on 27-3 votes and 90-3 votes respectively with two abstentions per chamber. Both chambers later concurred on the legislation, which will bring a $5.6 billion investment and 5,800 jobs to the state-owned 4,200-acre site in Haywood County, about 45 miles east of downtown Memphis.

Republican Sens. Mark Pody, Kerry Roberts and Janice Bowling and Republican Reps. Tim Rudd, Terri Lynn Weaver and Scott Cepicky voted against the project. Pody cited concerns with the megasite authority, but Roberts and Bowling declined to comment.

Sen. Page Walley, a Bolivar Republican who carried the megasite authority legislation, pointed out the Ford deal will be the largest and “most environmentally-friendly project in the country” and will benefit people across his district, from Stanton to “Nutbush city limits.”