Seven cities see site development grants from state
Sites located in seven cities will share in approximately $7.6 million in grants awarded to nine entities as part of the state of Tennessee’s Site Development Grants.
Gov. Bill Lee and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe announced the grant recipients. The grants are designed to help communities achieve Select Tennessee site certification and prepare industrial sites for economic development projects. The funding helps communities invest in infrastructure and engineering improvements on project-ready sites.
“When we provide rural communities with the tools needed to attract new jobs and support economic growth, more Tennesseans have opportunities to thrive,” said Lee. “I commend the General Assembly for their partnership in funding nine additional industrial sites to support future development projects and ensure prosperity across Tennessee.”
The Site Development Grant program, part of the Rural Economic Opportunity Act, works in tandem with TNECD’s Select Tennessee program. Since 2016, TNECD has awarded 136 Site Development Grants across the state, totaling more than $54 million in assistance to local communities.
“The Site Development Grant program enables Tennessee communities across the state to invest in the infrastructure needed to develop shovel-ready sites,” said Rolfe. “We are proud to partner with these nine communities as they move one step closer to achieving the ultimate goal of Select Tennessee site certification, and we look forward to seeing the successes that follow this latest round of awards.”
The Clarksville-Montgomery County Industrial Development Board will receive $700,000 for property grading and tree clearing at Site 19B at the Clarksville-Montgomery County Industrial Park. The Joint Economic and Community Development Board of Lawrence County will receive $2 million for a property purchase at the Lawrenceburg Industrial Park while the Lexington Industrial Development Board will receive $586,741 for property grading at the Reeves Property at the Timberlake Industrial Park.
The city of Savannah’s industrial development board will receive $80,370 for due diligence studies on the Boyd Property while the Selmer/McNairy County Industrial Development board has received $897,942 for property grading and access road construction at the Selmer North Industrial Park.
The Industrial Development Board of Rhea County has also received $950,000 for property grading at a site in Spring City while Waynesboro will receive $1,345,630 for property grading and access road construction to its Waynesboro Industrial Park.
The Cocke County Partnership also received $1 million for the Smoky Mountain Innovation Park, and the East Tennessee Regional Agribusiness Marketing Authority received $80,000 for a due diligence study.