Tennessee delegates plan China trip

The trade mission is slated to begin in Beijing on Oct. 18, followed by visits to Shanghai and Hong Kong. Not all members of the mission will visit every city.

Former Warren County Executive Kenneth Rogers went on such a trip and ended up recruiting Gulf Coast Environmental to locate in the old Aquatech building.

Gulf Coast planned to recycle tires and generate around 100 jobs initially. The long-term plan was to eventually assemble windmills here with the potential to create some 800 jobs.

However, McMinnville’s Planning and Zoning Commission refused to change the Aquatech zoning from light industrial to heavy industrial. After the zoning change was rejected, Gulf Coast Environmental ended contact with Warren County officials.

As for this year’s trip, Mark Drury, a spokesman for the state Department of Economic and Community Development, said the state will pay for the travel and lodging costs of Gov. Phil Bredesen and his wife Andrea Conte; Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey; House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh; Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matt Kisber; and four staffers.

The remaining members of the trade mission include local elected officials, members of trade organizations and representatives from the business community. Drury said they will have to pay for their own flights and accommodations, and will also have to pay the state a fee to take part.

The state portion of the trip’s expenses will be drawn out of a $200,000 fund in the Department of Economic and Community Development’s budget set aside for trade missions.

Drury said he doesn’t yet have an estimated total cost for the China trip, which is intended to develop new markets for Tennessee companies in the country.