Chattanooga's $150M Kimball Pike Expansion to Add 500 Jobs

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The Kimball Pike Industrial Park is set for a transformative $150 million expansion, poised to create 500 high-paying manufacturing positions in Hamilton County. Initially reported by NewsChannel 5, the project targets growth in advanced manufacturing, leveraging Chattanooga's strategic location along Interstate 75 and its skilled workforce from nearby Volkswagen and EPB operations. Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp announced the incentives package, including tax abatements and infrastructure grants, to seal the deal with the unnamed lead tenant. The expansion breaks ground in Q3 2026, with full operations by late 2027, according to county economic development records. Jobs will span assembly, logistics and quality control, with starting wages averaging $22 per hour — well above the county median. This influx builds on Chattanooga's manufacturing resurgence, where employment in the sector has grown 12% since 2020, per Tennessee Department of Labor data, amid national supply chain shifts favoring the Southeast. Local leaders, including Chattanooga Chamber President Bill Balmer, tout the project as vital for countering urban flight in Hamilton County, population 370,000. 'These jobs keep families rooted here, fueling our schools and small businesses,' Balmer said at a recent press event. Supported by a $10 million contribution from the Industrial Development Board, the initiative underscores Tennessee's pro-business climate under Gov. Bill Lee, who has championed similar expansions statewide.