Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Breaking Ground

Pellissippi Place is officially under construction. On November 5, representatives from four local governments launched an ambitious research and development park in the Innovation Valley/Oak Ridge corridor in a plan to secure the long-term viability of quality jobs in the region.

Under bright sunshine and brisk winds, Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale, Blount County Mayor Jerry Cunningham, Alcoa Mayor Don Mull and Maryville Mayor Tom Taylor turned the first soil at Pellissippi Place during a ground breaking ceremony. They were joined by U.S. Congressman John J. Duncan Jr. and State Representative Doug Overbey.

More than 100 people turned out for the ground breaking held in Alcoa, Tennessee, including the CEO's of the Knoxville and Blount County Chamber of Commerce, Mike Edwards and Fred Forster.

Despite the continued downward slide in the national economy, Pellissippi Place is generating interest. But, there is a long way to go before the first tenant moves into the park. With a 30 to 50 year time frame ahead, there is plenty of time to prepare the park so it maximizes its mission. In my next post, I'll tell you more about what is actually happening at the park. In the meantime click here to see a photo slideshow of current work underway at Pellissippi Place.