U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., today visited the Volkswagen assembly plant under construction in the city and called VW and Chattanooga "the ideal marriage."

"When good jobs are at a premium, VW is offering good jobs and more are on the way," he said. The visit was the senator's first to the plant since construction began.

Sen. Alexander said he was told that more than 65,000 people have applied for VW jobs so far.

He said it is hard to imagine the plant has come so far in just a year's time. "I'm enormously impressed," he said.

Frank Fischer, chief executive of VW's Chattanooga operations, said 500 people have been hired by VW so far, including 100 production team members.

The $1 billion plant is expected to go into production in early 2011.

See tomorrow's Chattanooga Times Free Press for complete coverage.