Flashback to 1998, a different EDA director talked the commission, of that time, to buy land to develop another industrial park. The commission of that day did buy and develop an industrial park, in partnership with the City of Loudon, known as Center 75 Business park. Fast forward 25 years, and nearly 7 million dollars later, that business park still sits empty and has never generated a single job or promised big tax revenues for the county or the city. Neither entity will ever recoup the money spent on that industrial park. And this is the reason government should never be in the speculation business with tax payer's money.

According to Qualls, another buyer is currently looking at the Greenback property and supposedly offering 2.7 million dollars. So, why would the county want to pay 3 million? Qualls also said the buyer currently looking at the property is Mike Ross, the same Mike Ross of the failed Rarity projects. There's also been rumors that a rock quarry is going to locate there. The county planning commission nor the county commission would not allow another rock quarry to locate in Greenback. 

Now, Mr. Qualls wants the county to commit millions more on another boondoggle at tax payer's expense? While the land might be 3 million dollars, many millions more would be needed to build the park.

For 25 years, highly developed industrial land within a quarter mile of interstate 75, hasn't been developed. Now there's an idea that the county should do it again twenty miles from the nearest interstate? No way. Let the private sector do the speculating.

Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.