Carole Fields

Nissan Opens in Franklin, TN

It is official!  Nissan opened its North American headquarters in Franklin, TN.  The opening was celebrated by 1500 Nissan employees, Governor Bredesen, and Nissan top executives and management.

The Nissan building, a massive $100 million structure has state of the art technology and many "green" features. 

Nissan and the state of Tennessee announced an initiative to develop a "recharging system to support electric cars that the company plans to sell here," according to G. Chambers Williams, III of The Tennessean.  This is a "vote of confidence in Tennessee and its people."  For additional information, please see The Tennessean.  Welcome Nissan!

Williamson County: Great Place to "Get Ahead"

Good News!  Williamson County, TN has been selected to the Forbes list titled "Best Places to Get Ahead." 

Local residents already knew this, and it is great to have it affirmed in a national publication.  We are one of two places in the South listed in the Top 10.  For more information on this article by Mitchell Kline in "The Tennessean" please click here.

Arthur Laffer is Positive on Tennessee

Arthur Laffer, a supply-side, economic adviser to President Ronald Reagan, is optimistic on the future of Tennessee.  In his book, "Rich States, Poor States," he ranks Tennessee as number 5.  Which state is number 1?  Utah!   Vermont was rated as 50.  To read about the Tennessee ranking in "Rich States, Poor States," please click here.

Growth in Commercial Real Estate

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE INDEX CONTINUES RISE IN SECOND QUARTER

A forward-looking index for the commercial real estate market recorded its ninth consecutive improvement in the second quarter, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Harry Dent, an economic futurist not affliated with the National Association of REALTORS, in a speech in January 2007, forecast an improvement in the commercial area as many potential homeowners choose to rent.  He compared the current real estate market to conditions in the market in the 1970's. This can be good news for investors. For the NAR's interpretation, please see the accompanying article. (Source: NAR) More Information . . .

Verizon to build,hire in Franklin

New state headquarters will add up to 700 jobs.  Verizon Wireless plans to build a statewide headquarters in Franklin and add up to 700 jobs in Middle Tennessee over the next three to five years, giving another boost to the fast-growing suburban office market in Williamson County.

The company's 180,000-square-foot building will be built in the Aspen Grove Corporate Center off Duke Drive in Cool Springs.  The $54 million building will be able to house 1,300 employees, including about 550 current workers who will move from scattered Verizon offices in Grassmere Business Park in Nashville when the new building is finished.

Verizon will get a 45 percent break on property taxes for five years as part of an incentives package linked to the project, said Franklin Mayor Tom Miller.  And the company will be eligible for other state incentives, including tax credits for creating jobs....

Ralph Schulz, chief executive of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, said there's been a good balance of new jobs and relocating companies moving to Nashville and to surrounding counties over the past few years.  Between 2003 and 2005 jobs related to relocations and corporate expansions were split 45 percent for Davidson County and 55 percent for the other nine counties in the Midstate, Schulz said. "That's a great balance."   written by Getahn Ward for The Tennessean

For additional information about what's happening in Middle Tennessee, please click on the link for The Tennessean  newspaper on the Helpful Links section of this blog.