September
10, 2009 Surgoinsville, TN - Hawkins
County Industrial Development Board and Phipps Bend Joint Venture
Board officials held a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday at Phipps
Bend Industrial Park and announced plans to build a 67,500 square
foot speculative building on an 8.3 acre site.
According to Larry Elkins, Chairman, Hawkins County
Industrial Board and Chairman Phipps Bend Joint Venture, the speculative
building is the culmination of years of work by various partners.
"It's gratifying to see all of our partners working together
to see this spec building come to fruition. We look forward to the
potential new opportunities this will provide for our community,"
said Elkins.
"On behalf of Hawkins County, thank you all
for your efforts in bringing jobs to our county," said Crockett
Lee, Mayor of Hawkins County.
Hawkins County Industrial Development Board, Phipps
Bend Joint Venture, and the City of Kingsport played a key role
in identifying and moving forward with the idea of a speculative
building.
Building plans were designed by Mattern & Craig
Consulting Engineers and the construction project has been awarded
to Joseph Construction Company. Gary Eastman, President and Justin
Marcus, Project Manager were present on behalf of the company.
"On behalf of the Tennessee Valley Authority
and John Bradley, Vice-President Economic Development, we want to
congratulate Joint Venture on our 20 year partnership in Phipps
Bend. We would also like to acknowledge our other partners, Holston
Electric Cooperative, the State of Tennessee, USDA, the Northeast
Tennessee Valley Regional Industrial Development Association and
the First Tennessee Development District on participating in today's
announcement of the new speculative building. TVA looks forward
to marketing the building nationally and internationally to create
job opportunities for the citizens of the region," said Tommy
Olterman, Project Manager, TVA Economic Development.
Additional attendees included Bill Snodgrass of
U.S. Congressman Phil Roe's office, State Representative Mike Harrison,
Hawkins County Commission members, Charles Brooks and Bob Small
of USDA, Ken Rea and Bill Forrester of the First Tennessee Development
District, Alicia Summers of the Northeast Tennessee Valley Regional
Industrial Development Association, David Tipton and Shannon Myers
of U.S. Bank, Nancy Barker of Rogersville/Hawkins County Chamber
of Commerce, and Eleanor Newman of Tennessee Career Center.
"Thank you to everyone that has participated
and enabled us to build this spec building. We appreciate everyone
for coming today to help us celebrate this groundbreaking. We're
excited about the potential this will bring to Phipps Bend,"
said Lynn Lawson, Industrial Developer for Hawkins County Industrial
Development Board.
"Attracting a new company that will bring
jobs to our citizens will be our next step in this project,"
said Elkins. "We are actively working on marketing Phipps Bend
Industrial District. We are committed to seeing that we have the
opportunity to attract prospective companies."
Located in Hawkins County, Phipps Bend Industrial
District is a 900 acre park with 250 acres available for development.
Phipps Bend is home to more than 10 companies as well as the Tennessee
Technology Center.
For more information on Phipps Bend Industrial
District and other available buildings and sites in the Northeast
Tennessee Valley region, contact Alicia Summers, Northeast Tennessee
Valley Regional Industrial Development Association at (423) 323-1203
or info@netvaly.org.
