Opinion: Dorothy, this isn’t Arlington anymore
Ford Motor Co. CEO Jim Farley speaks at the Shelby Farms press conference on Sept. 28 that unveiled the Ford Motor Co. West Tennessee manufacturing campus. Both Arlington and Lakeland could see big changes as a result. (Daily Memphian file)
Clay Bailey
Clay Bailey, a lifelong Memphian, has worked as a reporter in the city four decades. He concentrated on suburban coverage for the bulk of his career, except for a stint as sports editor of The Daily Memphian when it launched in September 2018. He now is suburban editor and also serves as a freelance sports writer for The Associated Press.
With a short drive time to the proposed Ford Motor Co. campus, suburbs like Arlington and Lakeland are at a crossroads of how to address possible growth.
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“Blue Oval City will be the biggest auto manufacturing (site) in our 118-year history,” said Ford president and CEO Jim Farley. “It will also be the cleanest and most efficient. It will produce electric vehicles on a scale we couldn’t have even imagined 10 years ago.”
Suburbs could become growth point with proximity to proposed Ford plans
Arlington, Bartlett and Lakeland could emerge as the suburban municipalities that benefit most from Blue Oval City given its proximity to the Haywood County site. Arlington and Lakeland also seem prime for more growth in both housing and retail development before Ford’s announcement, this may only accelerate that process.
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