Huntsville updates

[SpawnOfVulcan]

I just gained access to read the Decatur Daily online!!! Yayayayayay!!! Anyways.

I just read an article that is really old, but it was a good read. About, the GE land deals in Decatur. The sale of the GE land is off. But, the developer says that he is still going to develop the condos at Pirate's Chest Marina, as well as expand and improve Celebration Arena in Priceville.

[HSVTiger]

Would rather have an REI store but in the meantime..

By GINA HANNAH
Times Business Writer [email protected]
Sporting goods store should open by next spring

Dick's Sporting Goods will open its second Huntsville store, at Valley Bend at Jones Farm.

The 48,000-square-foot store should open next spring, said Raymond Jones, developer of Valley Bend. The store will be built on the northwest side of the development, near Fleet Feet Sports.
Dick's will be the last "big-box" store at Valley Bend's 110-acre site at Carl T. Jones Drive and Four Mile Post Road. About 15,000 square feet of retail space, plus a couple of smaller standalone sites typically leased or sold to restaurants and banks, remain to be built.

"We don't have a whole lot of room left," he said of Valley Bend, which opened in fall 2001.

[marvingardns]

A couple of bulldozers pushing dirt clods back and forth.

They've been doing that since January. That ground should be so flat, you could skate on it by now.

Interesting article on missile defense today. Basically, the article reports on the possibility that missile defense funding will decrease dramatically once a new administration is ushered in (Rep or Dem).

That could hit the local economy. Luckily, our defense economy is diversified in other areas like UAV, laser systems and ATGM's, and we are broadening our scope into biotech and the new generation of NASA launch vehicles. But combine MDA contracts drying up with the retirement of the shuttle and it could be a little tight.

[Huntsville_secede]

Originally Posted by marvingardns

They've been doing that since January. That ground should be so flat, you could skate on it by now.

Interesting article on missile defense today. Basically, the article reports on the possibility that missile defense funding will decrease dramatically once a new administration is ushered in (Rep or Dem).

That could hit the local economy. Luckily, our defense economy is diversified in other areas like UAV, laser systems and ATGM's, and we are broadening our scope into biotech and the new generation of NASA launch vehicles. But combine MDA contracts drying up with the retirement of the shuttle and it could be a little tight.

I'm starting to think Huntsville may have seen its best days for a while. With the inevitable defense cuts that are coming, as well as not getting the Volkswagen plant it seems Huntsville has become over hyped with anticipation of all thats coming and can't even support the retail it has now. If missile defense is cut thats what the majority of the BRAC jobs were so we may not see anywhere near the projected job/population growth numbers that everyone has been expecting. Retail is also starting to get overbuilt. I see so many vacant stores in Parkway Place and Madison Square and University is becoming full of vacant shopping centers. Can you post the link to the article?

[Shawn35816]

Who said the economic downturn wouldn't really effect Huntsville. It doesn't take much to do a town in, ask Detroit. Lose money here, job cuts there and you've got a whole lot of people moving out looking for jobs elsewhere. Yeah Huntsville is getting diversified, and boy I hate that Volkswagon AG went with Chattanooga, but we can start to see how Huntsville is not immune to anything. I think the whole U.S. will feel the pain of this fall in the economy.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by Shawn35816

Who said the economic downturn wouldn't really effect Huntsville. It doesn't take much to do a town in, ask Detroit. Lose money here, job cuts there and you've got a whole lot of people moving out looking for jobs elsewhere. Yeah Huntsville is getting diversified, and boy I hate that Volkswagon AG went with Chattanooga, but we can start to see how Huntsville is not immune to anything. I think the whole U.S. will feel the pain of this fall in the economy.

If the economy continues to tank who will be buying those VW's?
Huntsville didn't lose the VW plant cause we never had it to lose, we just didn't win it. Look for other opportunities to come our way.
I imagine that the tax breaks were so great that VW had to take it even if
they wanted the Alabama site, they will make the Chatty site work for them.

[marvingardns]

Wow... disappointing. Very disappointing.

So... does this mean we still get our highway ramps finished?

This really dents the upbeat confidence in our economy, which was already cautionary. It will be interesting to see how local and state officials react to this with encouragement (Loretta, Brian Hilson) and derision (Tommy Battle), and the local economy react to the trickle down.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Haha, I hate to sound all Fair-weather. But, I think I prefer that Chatt gets the auto plant, and we get some spin off business. I prefer a stable economy. Auto plants aren't so stable...

[HSVTiger]

If anything the VW choice should speed it up, we are always competing for industry, you never know who is watching..
"The Volkswagen decision to build its auto plant in Chattanooga rather than Limestone County should not affect plans to establish a $71 million robotics training center at Calhoun Community College, school spokeswoman Janet Martin-Kincherlow said."

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

"The Volkswagen decision to build its auto plant in Chattanooga rather than Limestone County should not affect plans to establish a $71 million robotics training center at Calhoun Community College, school spokeswoman Janet Martin-Kincherlow said."

That little detail made me smile.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Ahhhhhhhh!! Hehehehe. This article made me absolutely giddy!

http://decaturdaily.com/stories/14627.html

A U.S. Senate Panel approved $350,000 for downtown improvements in Decatur. The funding will go towards landscaping, irrigation, traffic signal replacement and brick paving. The article said that this is enough to complete one side of 2nd Avenue, but the entire 2nd Avenue plan would take about $1 Million.

The downtown redevelopment authority expects to use local funds to revamp Bank Street and federal funds for 2nd Avenue.

[HSVTiger]

Kind of sounds like a separate plant possible for Audi?
AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE

All the vehicles produced initially at the plant will be Volkswagens, Jacoby said. But the factory will be flexible enough to add a brand or brands.

"We are planning to start with Volkswagen here. We have right now no concrete plans to integrate other brands in this factory," he said.

Jacoby noted that affiliate brand Audi also is investigating the possibility of North American production. A decision is expected next spring.

"It works a little differently for Audi than for the Volkswagen brand. Volkswagen is in the volume segment, and we want to be in the volume segment. Audi is definitely a premium brand. It looks different," Jacoby said.

He said it was "too early" to comment on the possibility of VW producing a new SUV or crossover at the Chattanooga factory.

Automotive News reported this week that a new SUV is being considered. The vehicle would slot between the compact Tiguan, which went on sale in the United States this year, and the larger Touareg SUV, which has been foundering in the United States.

Engines and transmissions for the Chattanooga-made vehicles will come from Volkswagen's Puebla, Mexico, factory, which also produces the New Beetle family and Jetta sedan. Jacoby said both factories would be integrated in the future and hinted that more powertrain production could be coming.

Said Jacoby: "We are planning in respect of environmental issues but also fuel consumption issues to introduce later modern engine and gearbox technology as well, but we have not yet decided where we will produce this."

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Would rather have an REI store but in the meantime..

By GINA HANNAH
Times Business Writer [email protected]
Sporting goods store should open by next spring

Dick's Sporting Goods will open its second Huntsville store, at Valley Bend at Jones Farm.

The 48,000-square-foot store should open next spring, said Raymond Jones, developer of Valley Bend. The store will be built on the northwest side of the development, near Fleet Feet Sports.
Dick's will be the last "big-box" store at Valley Bend's 110-acre site at Carl T. Jones Drive and Four Mile Post Road. About 15,000 square feet of retail space, plus a couple of smaller standalone sites typically leased or sold to restaurants and banks, remain to be built.

"We don't have a whole lot of room left," he said of Valley Bend, which opened in fall 2001.

Is it mandatory that every strip center have the same stores? They all have
the same crap, of course if the company wants to open a location, great, but man these places are boring and I bet you will see more closings than openings. Their locations are usually far enough apart but I guess we are looking for something unique, oh well.

[marvingardns]

"The Volkswagen decision to build its auto plant in Chattanooga rather than Limestone County should not affect plans to establish a $71 million robotics training center at Calhoun Community College, school spokeswoman Janet Martin-Kincherlow said."

That little detail made me smile.

The fact I actually worried about promises already made being followed through shows how resentment I feel towards Montgomery sometimes...

[HSVTiger]

Hilton Garden Inn South Huntsville opens around August 15th

[HSVTiger]

Downtown development is important
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_131564.asp
"Mr. Ramsey said he never visited Volkswagen during the selection process, though another key player, Economic Development Commissioner Matt Kisber, made a trip there.

He said there were high-level meetings in Texas at the offices of the Staubach firm, which was helping with the site selection, as well as in Washington.
(Huntsville officials also made this trip but probably at different times.)

Volkswagen officials came for several Chattanooga visits, including one dinner event at the home of Sen. Corker in Riverview attended by about 120 people.

He said another time a German delegation toured the site as well as downtown. He said they were highly impressed with the accomplishments along the downtown riverfront.

Last Friday, there were phone calls from top Volkswagen officials to Sen. Corker and Gov. Bredesen informing them that Chattanooga had won the prize. Sen. Corker stepped out of a Senate energy hearing to take the car, and he said he was overwhelmed and initially speechless. Gov. Bredesen was in Alaska on a fishing trip with his son.

Mr. Ramsey would not say when he learned that Chattanooga had it in hand, but he indicated it was prior to that Friday.

He said when he was hearing reports that the plant was going to Huntsville, Ala., instead of here "I wanted to say, 'No, that's not right,' but we were under a confidentiality agreement."

Mr. Ramsey said reports about a "consolation prize" of a Volkswagen engine plant were off base. Volkswagen officials said they currently have an engine plant in Mexico."

I'm surprised Chattanooga officials could not keep from laughing out loud at all those "inside source" reports.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Downtown development is important
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_131564.asp
"Mr. Ramsey said he never visited Volkswagen during the selection process, though another key player, Economic Development Commissioner Matt Kisber, made a trip there.

He said there were high-level meetings in Texas at the offices of the Staubach firm, which was helping with the site selection, as well as in Washington.
(Huntsville officials also made this trip but probably at different times.)

Volkswagen officials came for several Chattanooga visits, including one dinner event at the home of Sen. Corker in Riverview attended by about 120 people.

He said another time a German delegation toured the site as well as downtown. He said they were highly impressed with the accomplishments along the downtown riverfront.

Last Friday, there were phone calls from top Volkswagen officials to Sen. Corker and Gov. Bredesen informing them that Chattanooga had won the prize. Sen. Corker stepped out of a Senate energy hearing to take the car, and he said he was overwhelmed and initially speechless. Gov. Bredesen was in Alaska on a fishing trip with his son.

Mr. Ramsey would not say when he learned that Chattanooga had it in hand, but he indicated it was prior to that Friday.

He said when he was hearing reports that the plant was going to Huntsville, Ala., instead of here "I wanted to say, 'No, that's not right,' but we were under a confidentiality agreement."

Mr. Ramsey said reports about a "consolation prize" of a Volkswagen engine plant were off base. Volkswagen officials said they currently have an engine plant in Mexico."

I'm surprised Chattanooga officials could not keep from laughing out loud at all those "inside source" reports.

Gah, that hurts...

[Colin Giersberg]

I am kinda bummed out about this area not winning VW. I had hoped to see the construction going on, and see how that area was going to change, but that is a moot point now. I do suspect that the Greenbrier site will get the necessary improvements and utilities now, just in case some other company is interested in locating here. Also, this may be a plus in some ways. The incentive package might have hurt Alabama's finances too much, thereby causing proration that would have been worse than what we might have coming. So, let's hope that this area will get some spinoff industries as a result of VW.

ps. Work on the Tanner interchange is going on as I type this. The contractor has done some dirt work on the west side of I-65, as well as build a concrete culvert in the NW corner. I believe that there is a culvert in the SW corner also. The bridge over I-65 is to be raised, but i do not know by how much, and there is still a lot of other work to be done.

Regards, Colin

[HSVTiger]

Yeah Colin it is a big letdown, but a big high for the winners as it should be.
It just seems we were mislead which makes it worse. ALDOT should continue with the five laning of Greenbrier. If HSV had won two schools were also planned, a high school and middle. I do like Governor Riley's comment that we won't give more than it's worth and the cooperation between all officials was excellent. This will pay off down the road.
A key point was the TN officials went after VW , they didn't wait to be contacted. I am curious as to how and why the HSV site was picked and not the TVA megasite on I-65. Did VW just come across it or did someone steer them that way. In any case the HSV team and the state need to be in contact with Audi NOW growing that relationship, because VW will be a big voice in that decision.