TMP Staff Reports-July 29, 2008
Posted: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 3:16 pm

The city of Murfreesboro failed to secure a Bridgestone technical center despite being one of two finalists.

Bridgestone Americans announced Tuesday afternoon that it had elected to build a state-of-the-art technical center in Akron, Ohio near its existing research center.

“While we are disappointed that the company did not choose the Murfreesboro Gateway as their final location, we applaud the city of Akron and the state of Ohio for retaining such a fine company”, said Murfreesboro Mayor Tommy Bragg.

Ohio offered Bridgestone an economic development package estimated at $68 million. Tennessee officials wouldn’t release the incentives offered to the company.

The technical center employs 600.

The city of Murfreesboro, State of Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development, the Rutherford County Industrial Development Board, Rutherford County Government, Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce and Middle Tennessee State University worked very aggressively through site selection, education initiatives and incentive negotiation to secure this project on a specific site within the Murfreesboro Gateway, local officials said.

“It is always difficult to compete against the home-team advantage,” said Holly S. Weber, vice president of economic development, Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, “the city of Murfreesboro, State Economic Development, MTSU along with our department worked aggressively and presented a sound economic package, which included incentives involving land, tax abatements, infrastructure, training and relocation costs.”

Murfreesboro city manager Roger Haley said the incentive proposal offered to Bridgestone was the “most aggressive one we’ve ever put forward.

The proposal included the offering of a 41-acre site on Garrison Drive across the street from the Murfreesboro Medical Clinic at no cost.

“We congratulate the city of Akron and Ohio for retaining a company that has been in that community for about a century,” he continued. “A few years ago, Murfreesboro and Rutherford County were part of the pack of contenders for these kinds of projects. Now, we are separating from the pack and finishing in the top two. We have all of the ingredients here in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County and a great team in place. Our day will come.”

Michael Malone, president of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, expressed his congratulations for Akron, but also his support and appreciation for the Rutherford team who tirelessly worked to secure this opportunity.

“Although we did not secure the Bridgestone facility for Rutherford County, we are proud of our team’s effort to achieve this success,” he said. I know we will continue to seek and participate in achieving success in our economic development efforts.”

Bridgestone initiated site selection in August 2007 for the relocation of their technical facility through the consulting firm Strategic Development Group, based in South Carolina. The company cut locations in Nashville and a different Akron site last month.