CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- With work started at the 1,600 acre Enterprise South industrial park site where Volkswagen will build, Hamilton County Mayor Claude Ramsey said there is also room for suppliers and other businesses.

The site of Volkswagen's planned $1 billion assembly plant, marketed as a Tennessee Valley Authority megasite, is near Interstate 75 and was once the grounds of a former Army ammunition plant.

Ramsey said the first thing the city will do is work with Volkswagen on the location of suppliers, and then will market it to others as available.

Ramsey said following Volkswagen's announcement that he is aware of about 270 acres not involved with the assembly plant or its suppliers.

Volkswagen of America CEO Stefan Jacoby has declined comment about the size of the assembly plant.

Volkswagen To Hire 2,000 Positions

Volkswagen is ready to start hiring for its new Chattanooga assembly plant, starting with about 50 jobs related to purchasing and the start of construction.

The automaker will advertise jobs in the Chattanooga Times Free Press and the Atlanta Journal Constitution newspapers on Saturday.

The plant will be only about 70 miles from McMinnville, which is about 120 miles from Nashville.

VW spokeswoman Jill Bratina said the automaker will seek applicants for the "very specialized" jobs in weekend newspaper ads.

Bratina said Volkswagen is focused on first hiring about 50 people for "purchasing...suppliers for construction and other elements" for the $1 billion plant.

She said from those applicants the company plans an Aug. 6 "invitation event" in Chattanooga.

Bratina said Volkswagen also plans an "open house in the middle of September" in Chattanooga. She said the company then will begin taking resumes and applications and meeting with prospective suppliers.

Production at the Enterprise South industrial park plant is set to begin in early 2011.

Related Links:

Chattanooga Times Free Press

Atlanta Journal Constitution