The Ford BlueOval City site is a massive undertaking that has long been expected to bring economic growth to Stanton, Tennessee, as well as the surrounding area. Along with adding thousands of new jobs directly, the future EV plant will also bring with it loads of suppliers, new housing, restaurants, and other businesses, along with a resulting economic boom. However, the sheer size and reach of Ford BlueOval City also seems poised to have a positive impact on a city that’s 51 miles away – Memphis.
According to Commercial Appeal, Memphis is already an appealing place poised for growth thanks to its lower cost of living and low median housing prices. Kyle Oden of the Geography King YouTube channel also recently conducted an “analysis of eight U.S. cities that are not experiencing large growth and are not considered trendy, but because of various projects and geography they will become trendy and more popular places in which to move.” Memphis made the cut on that list, but Oden explains, “I think right now Memphis is still a little off the radar. It’s still one of the most affordable big cities but there isn’t a huge draw to it right now.”
Originally scheduled to begin production in 2025, Ford BlueOval City now won’t begin building the next-generation F-150 EV until 2027, which could slow down this growth somewhat, but some see that delay as a positive, as Ford Authority recently reported, as it gives officials time to work on beefing up infrastructure and roads before an influx of people and businesses flood the surrounding area.
In the meantime, BlueOval City officials are facing a few obstacles in the local community, as they recently received a list of demands from a group of local residents called the BlueOval Good Neighbors Coalition. That group is asking the automaker to provide workers at the future Ford EV plant with livable wages, create funds to assist residents with rising costs of living, monitor the site’s environmental impact, and provide the BlueOval Good Neighbors Community Board with the power to enforce these provisions. As a result, a new YMCA Early Learning Center will be added to the site to assist with boosting employment opportunities and providing childcare.
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Didn’t mention the highest crime rate in all of Tennessee being Memphis beingthe reason no one wants to move there. If it weren’t because of the crime in Memphis, Tennessee would be one of the lowest in the country.