CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Clarksville-Montgomery County Industrial Development Board (IDB) is in talks with a national retailer looking to plant a flag in Clarksville. As parties continue negotiations, plans are taking shape for what could be a regional shopping destination.
Amazon is also coming along, in addition to multiple other projects in the area.
Project Blueberry
During their meeting, IDB officials explained that they are working with a major but unnamed national retailer that has its eyes on Clarksville. The project is being called “Project Blueberry.”
“The retailer is equivalent to a Costco or an IKEA, or a destination-type place that you would drive to go and shop at,” said Josh Ward, director of Economic Development.
The IDB is looking to incentivize both the private landowner and the developer by offering two separate PILOTS.
The first is a PILOT for the retailer, and the second is a five-year PILOT for the landowner, which IDB officials said will be used to offset the cost of infrastructure needed to make the site developable.
“We were contacted by a national retailer looking to purchase a little over 9 acres of a 32-acre site owned by FWJR,” said Shea Hopkins, executive director of Economic Development. “Basically, what this PILOT will do is it will offset the (cost of) infrastructure of the construction that they are required to put in to land this project.”
That PILOT applies to all 32 acres, but when any land is sold, the PILOT will not transfer to a new landowner.
The land is just east of Exit 4, behind the Sam’s Club.
The retailer is estimated to generate over $32 million in revenue annually and is expected to bring 300 or more jobs to the Clarksville area.
Amazon to pay taxes through 2025
The Amazon Distribution Center, termed “Project Alice,” also saw discussion on Wednesday.
“We’re basically approving the Amazon PILOT in its current form,” said Buck Dellinger, president and CEO of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council. “What it really means, and what’s new and different on this one, is that the PILOT will begin in 2023, and Amazon will not see the benefit of their PILOT until they have a minimum of 400 (full-time) employees.”
Dellinger explained that Amazon expects to have those employees sometime in 2025 when the distribution center is running at full capacity.
The company will need to have 400 employees for an entire year to take advantage of the 10-year PILOT. Until they meet that employee threshold, Amazon will have to pay their taxes in full.
Questions were asked during the meeting regarding how the IDB will track the number of employees working at the Amazon facility.
Dellinger explained they will use state reports to track employment, noting that the IDB will review those reports month to month. He also noted that Amazon has been an “open book” regarding their operation and employees.
The IDB unanimously approved the PILOT.
Future is bright
Clarksville-Montgomery County is just behind three major cities: Phoenix, Dallas and Austin, when it comes to talent attraction, recently rising to the No. 4 spot in a nationwide ranking. The area was recognized by Lightcast (formerly EMSI) and climbed two spots in the ranking.
In 2022, the region made great strides when it came to attracting new business as well as expanding current projects. Several announcements have been made just this year, with companies making massive investments locally:
