Car manufacturer considers Connersville

CONNERSVILLE, Ind, (WISH) - The city of Connersville is getting ready to host executives from Carbon Motors on Tuesday. The company is thinking about building a facility to manufacture police cars in that Fayette County Community.

Some workers in downtown Connersville were trimming trees Sunday. Across the street the DuValls were outside the community foundation office cleaning light fixtures.

The Community is sprucing up for big visit. Community members were out sprucing up, hoping a good impression could possibly lead to good paying jobs.

"I'm pretty excited. I'm excited that we're getting this opportunity to put on a good face and hopefully lure Carbon Motors here," Connersville resident Karen DuVall said.

Carbon Motors is eyeing Connersville as a possible site for a new manufacturing facility. The company builds police cars.

"I think they know the people here know how to make cars. We may not know exactly how Carbon Motors wants to do it, but they're the kind of people that watch one, they can do one and then they can teach one. They're very creative, they're very talented," Connersville Economic Director Bryan Coats said.

The Visteon plant in Connersville closed in December 2007. At one point it employed 3,000 poeple. Now the community wants those doors open again.

Indiana is one of a handful of states in the running for the new company.

City leaders believe the old Visteon site, with 47 acres under one roof, is ideal and will give them the winning edge.

"We've got a new spirit and I kind of look like, we won two state championships with our basketball team as you know, and I kind of feel like we're trying to win another championship," said Connersville Mayor Leonard Urban.

Residents are eager for the opportunity.

"We have so many things to offer. We can't say we're a big city but we can sure say that we're a community that can give back and come back and we're ready to go to work," said Anna Dungan, Executive Director of the Connersville Community Foundation.

The city's workforce is no stranger to the auto industry. Connersville was once known as "Little Detroit" in the early 20th century when they were involved in the making of Auburns, Cords, Duesenbergs and other cars.