Pennsylvania is offering the Harley-Davidson Motor Co. an attractive package to retain the company's manufacturing plant, which alternatively may move to Murfreesboro.



According to Michael Smith, spokesman for Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, the incentive will include a $15 million capital bill authorized to help the company upgrade its existing facility in York County.

"But we also plan to commit resources through our various job training programs to ensure the employees are trained to help the company improve efficiency by streamlining operations," Smith continued.

He added that there is no time frame for the package, which has yet to be finalized.

"We're in constant communication with Harley, and we plan to continue that dialogue and be as proactive as possible," Smith said. "Based on what the governor said, we are going to compete aggressively to ensure this plant stays in Pennsylvania."

Representatives of Harley-Davidson visited Murfreesboro on Monday in consideration of a parcel of land along Joe B. Jackson Parkway. Shelbyville, Ky., located between Lexington and Louisville in Shelby County, was also visited as possible relocation site.

While Pennsylvania's package is currently under way, a spokeswoman for Tennessee's Department of Economic and Community Development said no comment could be made about a potential incentive to lure the plant here.

"It is our policy that we do not comment on ongoing projects, so since this is very much an ongoing project, we cannot offer any further details other than what the company is saying," spokeswoman Laura Elkins said.

Holly Weber, vice president of economic development with the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, offered a similar comment, saying, "We are not at liberty to discuss the specifics."

"The (county's) job growth numbers have been good and there's a lot of opportunity for industrial development," she added. "I think this project would be a complement to all of our current existing development."

According to the York Daily Record, Harley-Davidson spokesman Bob Klein said the visits are part of a two-path study in place, with one analyzing how to make the York County operations cost-effective where they are now, and another analyzing the best possible relocation opportunities.

Through the process, the four sites being visited this week came up for a number of reasons, but Klein did not get into specifics.

Harley-Davidson told employees at its Springettsbury Township plant in May that it was considering moving the operations, which would affect more than 2,000 production workers.

Primary reasons that have emerged include inefficiencies at the site in both work rules and infrastructure.

The company said it plans to make a decision by the end of the year.

Klein reiterated Tuesday night that staying in York remains the preferred option.

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