Chattanooga’s drive to land Volkswagen had hit a pothole.
In May 2008, VW site selectors visiting the city had told local economic developers that Enterprise South industrial park was third in a three-city sweepstakes for a new $1 billion assembly plant.
Just hours later — two years ago this week — the decision was made to mobilize city and Hamilton County work forces and start to clear the wooded tract so VW officials could better see the property.
It’s a move some say produced a key turnaround in the way VW regarded Chattanooga’s bid.
“It was a great big turning point,” said Tom Edd Wilson, the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce’s chief executive.