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Middle Tennessee

The rolling hills of Middle Tennessee are drawing major new investments in manufacturing, distribution and service facilities. With Nissan and Saturn plants in Smyrna and Spring Hill, respectively, Middle Tennessee is a major center for automobile production. "Tennessee workers are among the best in the world," says Nissan CEO and president Jerry Benefield. "Our turnover rate is much lower than in highly industrialized areas. They have pride in their craftsmanship and in their companies."

As the capital of Tennessee, Nashville (population 510,000) has played a pivotal role in state affairs since the days of Andrew Jackson. For decades, the city's Music Row publishing industry and Grand Ole Opry have placed it at the hub of a thriving country music and entertainment industry. With the addition of the National Football League's Tennessee Titans in newly built Adelphia Coliseum, Nashville now shines in the national spotlight.

Nashville has become an economic powerhouse as well, attracting major health care companies, call centers, e-commerce facilities and major manufacturing companies. The biggest newcomer is Dell Computer Corp., which will be occupying more than 1 million sq. ft. (92,900 sq. m.) in Nashville and Wilson County for its eastern assembly, manufacturing, technical support and sales operations. "We can get to 60 percent of our customer base in two days from Nashville," says Kip Thompson, vice president of worldwide facilities for Dell. This is Dell's only campus in North America outside of its Austin headquarters.

The arrival of Dell and Hewlett-Packard has brought more than a dozen suppliers and logistics companies to Nashville, including Celestica, which is hiring 1,300 new workers to handle contract manufacturing of H-P computers.

One of Nashville's chief advantages is its labor supply, according to Fred Harris, vice president, economic development, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. "We have 12,000 to 15,000 people who graduate from our 17 colleges and universities each year," he says. "That skilled, educated labor force is highly attractive to companies like Dell."

Other Nashville advantages include its central location, multimodal transportation facilities, lower cost of living and blossoming cultural scene. "We have a good base of professional and managerial people here," says Harris. "People can feel comfortable moving here from any state or country in the world."

Through Partnership 2000, the chamber's regional economic development initiative, Nashville has attracted new industries. For example, ClientLogic Corp., which provides e-commerce fulfillment and customer service, recently relocated its corporate headquarters from Dallas.

Nashville is also a leading location for healthcare corporate headquarters, such as Columbia/HCA, PhyCor, OrNda, and Coventry. "People in Nashville are very entrepreneurial," says Laura Ortale, executive director of the Nashville Health Care Council. "They've seen other people succeed, and they're willing to take these risks. It's unlike any other city in the United States."

Another growing Middle Tennessee community is Clarksville (population 75,000), a picturesque Cumberland River town northwest of Nashville. Major employers include a new Convergy call center that has expanded from 400 to 1,200 employees in its first year of operations, according to Michelle Dickerson, vice president of marketing communications, Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council.