Cookeville Employer Hoping To Expand To New Highlands Business Park Location

An existing Cookeville employer could potentially expand to a new location in the Highlands Business Park.

Economic and Community Development Coordinator Melinda Keifer said that the expansion will bring 45 new jobs and a $16 million capital investment.

“We’re super excited to see that,” Keifer said. “You know as companies grow they can locate anywhere but when you see existing companies decide to continue to invest in your community it’s always a really good day.”

Keifer said that the expansion also comes with no tax incentives or abatements. She said that means as soon as the facility is built and in operation, it will go on the tax roll with real and personal property.

Keifer said that the employer has chosen to keep the expansion confidential until more work has been completed. Keifer said that there are many reasons for why a company would choose to do that.

“A lot of it has to do with market share, with their competitors,” Keifer said. “And they really want to have what I would say is a completed project before they kind of put it out there. The company will, I’m sure, put out a press release in the near future, but actually, this agenda item is just for the sale-purchase agreement, we still have a lot of work to do.”

Keifer said that should the city council approve the agreement at its Thursday night meeting, the 19.32-acre sale will go for some $434,700. She said the next steps will be to close on the property and start construction of the facility.