By Amy Gardner
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Terry McAuliffe, the millionaire businessman who ran unsuccessfully for Virginia governor this year, is negotiating with investors and a U.S. automaker to lure a factory to southern Virginia -- raising speculation that the ambitious Democrat is not done with state politics
McAuliffe has talked with Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) to brief him about his plans, which are focused on luring thousands of jobs to a part of Virginia where unemployment is high. McAuliffe declined through a spokeswoman to comment on his efforts, but Kaine confirmed the meeting and said McAuliffe is in the "very preliminary" stages of trying to put together a deal involving a "green" automotive manufacturing plant.
"Terry and I talked about it once," Kaine said. "We have a process where my economic development team -- it's my understanding that they're working with him now to figure out the scope of the project."
A "green" factory, such as one where hybrid automobiles are made, would dovetail with McAuliffe's campaign promise in the spring to focus on producing green jobs in Virginia.
Attracting such an employer to southern Virginia would help offset the steepest unemployment rates in the state -- many of the cities and counties along Virginia's southern border have double-digit unemployment rates.
One possible location for a new factory is in Isle of Wight County in the southeastern part of the state, where International Paper announced last month that it would close a plant and eliminate 1,100 jobs.
"It was an education to those of us in rural Virginia," said Ben Davenport, a prominent business leader in Danville .
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/24/AR2009112403987.html
