ATHENS, Tenn. — About 600 people here lost their jobs when the Collins & Aikman plant closed last August.
Now Jack Hammontree, director of the McMinn Economic Development Authority, said the 295,000-square-foot building and 85 acres of land are for sale. A buyer could ease the sting of rising unemployment in Athens and McMinn County, he said.
“In the last 10 days we have had three companies look at it,” Mr. Hammontree said late last week. He hopes the interest leads to a sale so the property does not become stale on the market.
State figures showed unemployment hit 7.3 percent in January. McMinn County has just more than 23,000 residents employed and about 1,800 on the unemployment list, figures showed. That does not include workers whose unemployment compensation has expired.
Two manufacturers in nearby Etowah, Waupaca Foundry and Johns Manville, are expanding their facilities. And the county has more than 800 acres available for development, Mr. Hammontree said.
But a city official said that while manufacturing is a key source of jobs, the county would do better to diversify its economy.
“I really feel we can’t continue to think only from a manufacturing base,” said City Councilman Dick Pelley, who is also a member of the city planning commission.
He said McMinn County is a perfect location for service and distribution businesses.
“We’ve got to begin thinking outside the box,” Mr. Pelley said.
He said the county and its five cities have stable infrastructure, balanced budgets and excellent education systems. But he said nearby Cleveland and Lenoir City, N.C., are likely to become more urbanized over the next decade.
“We are not as crowded, and people will be looking regionally,” he said. That could mean more residents, but also more business, he said.
Mr. Hammontree said he expects the county’s high unemployment rate to drop over the next few months. He said two previous rate peaks caused by plant closings dropped within months.
UNEMPLOYMENT PEAKS IN ATHENS
2001: 10 percent, closing of Athens Furniture
2003: 11 percent, closing of Athens Products
2007: 6.9 percent and rising, closing of Collins & Aikman
Source: McMinn Economic Development Authority
