MEMPHIS, Tenn. — In tonight's Ransom Note: I've been plenty critical of Governor Bill Lee lately, but he scored big Tuesday.
From his first campaign stop years ago on this side of the state, he promised to start doing what his predecessors didn't do. He promised he would make West Tennessee a priority for economic growth.
Tuesday, he delivered and in a big way.
Ford Motor Company's announcement Tuesday basically means a new city will be built by the time the first fully electric F150 pickup rolls off the assembly line in 2025. It even has a name, "Blue Oval City," in keeping with the blue oval in Ford's logo.
5,800 well-paying jobs hired directly by Ford and the battery manufacturer that will be on the campus.
21,000 more indirect jobs by all the companies that will need to open operations here to support the plant.
We've had more than our share of pie in the sky announcements over the year. But this is the real deal, folks. It's the largest every single private investment in the state's history.
You can see why Lesa Tard, owner of the tiny Suga's Diner just three miles from the megasite, is so excited.
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