LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Despite the Ford Motor Company announcing the end of construction on the BlueOval Battery Park Plant project for the foreseeable future, the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) elected to vote in favor of granting the Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance (MAEDA) $65 million for additional land surrounding the property yesterday. 

The land near the property would be assembled “for potential use as a supplier park and infrastructure improvements,” according to documents given to the MSF board. 

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Despite concerns raised by board members prior to the vote, Michigan Economic Development Corporation CEO Quentin Messer shared that the state was confident in Ford’s ability to follow through after completing negotiations with the United Auto Workers union. 

“The opportunity here before us is to support infrastructure development that is independent of Ford,” Messer said to the board. “I can tell you that even up until earlier this week, we have gotten inquiries for companies that not only were looking at co-locating with Ford but if — in the highly, highly, highly unlikely chance Ford was not to continue — they would have sufficient wherewithal to continue on this site.”

Just a day prior, the Dearborn based automaker revealed that it would be stopping construction on the plant that would build batteries for Electric Vehicles (EVs). 

“We’re pausing work, and we’re going to limit spending on construction at Marshall until we’re confident about our ability to competitively run the plant,” Ford spokesman T.R. Reid told the Detroit News on Monday. 

CEO of MAEDA, Jim Durian, shared his aspirations for the property and support for the MSF’s decision to award MAEDA with the additional funding. 

“Investment in this campus now will allow us to have a site ready for future suppliers and new

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businesses – and that means even more local jobs in Marshall long into the future,” said

Durian in a statement. “We are confident Ford’s BlueOval Battery Park will be a magnet for new investment and will spark new small businesses and we applaud state and local leaders for helping to ensure the vehicles of the future are built here in Michigan and the advanced manufacturing facilities of the future are built here in Michigan.”

He also shared some statistics about the plant including its $3.5 billion value, and that it would create 2,500 jobs in Marshall “when it opens in 2026 and will bring tens of thousands of jobs to the area much earlier as construction on the site continues.” 

Michigan House Minority Leader Matt Hall (R-Richland) gave his perspective in opposition to the board’s decision. 

“Even with $1.8 billion in taxpayer support, Ford doesn’t know if this plant can be competitive in Michigan, and it doesn’t make sense to throw millions more taxpayer dollars at a stalled project,” Representative Hall said. “Another $65 million isn’t going to make up for the uncompetitive agenda Democrats are pushing to ban natural gas and raise energy prices, add a new tax on workers, and raise even more taxes next year to pay for their $82 billion budget — wasteful spending that ignored real needs to fix infrastructure and hire local police officers. Instead of giving away the people’s money to a few electric battery plants, we should invest in roads, bridges, and public safety and foster a competitive economy that will attract all kinds of business opportunities and careers to our state.”

The UAW has also announced that more strikers will be activated Friday should negotiations not make significant progress, which would add to the more than 13,000 UAW members already striking across the country.