Connersville hoping to win auto plant

CONNERSVILLE, Ind. (WISH) - A jobs rally set for an eastern Indiana city next week has drawn the interest of the White House. The City of Connersville plans to hold the event as a final push in its efforts to win a new auto plant.

There was activity at the old Visteon plant in Connersville Friday, a rarity in recent times. The plant shut down in 2007.

But the city hopes a company called Carbon Motors out of Atlanta will soon bring it back to life.

Carbon Motors has said it will either bring its new operation here, or to a location in Georgia or South Carolina.

"I feel that we are number one," said Connersville's Mayor Leonard Urban. "I couldn't say that maybe two weeks ago, but I feel we're number one because of the effort and the fact that they're coming back here."

Carbon Motors executives were already in Connersville once, back in May. The city put on a big show for them.

Fayette County, where Connersville is located, has an unemployment rate near 16%.

The Carbon Motors operation would bring 1,300 jobs.

"Everybody's charged up, waiting on Wednesday for this event to happen," said Fayette County Commissioner Gary Breitenbach. "Because I think this time we'll get our piece of the pie."

"It would be a tremendous boost to this community and give us hope," said Urban.

Word of the possibility that more jobs could be coming to this economically depressed area has reached the White House.

The Obama Administration has sent Connersville's mayor two e-mails inquiring about next Wednesday's rally.

"They wanted to know the whole schedule of what is taking place," Urban said. "And we gave it to them in detail."

Another reason Mayor Urban is optimistic about next week; Carbon Motors is sending eight of its executives to the rally.

And a company spokesperson told 24-Hour News 8 Friday that the company hopes to announce its selection by sometime next week.