BlueOval SK Update – June 2022
Since it was announced last November that the BlueOval SK Battery Park will be constructed in Glendale, plenty of work has been done both behind the scenes and at the 1,500-acre construction site.
Contractors at Ford received federal permits earlier this month and have begun excavating on the project site. Before receiving permits, basic site preparation such as tree removal was completed. Site workers are currently developing over 70 acres of detention basins at the site to prepare for the construction of the two 4 million-square-foot production facilities.
In addition, trucks are moving in and out of the site every day, bringing new equipment, drainage pipes, and other materials. Signage advertising the site also is expected to be installed in the near future.
To streamline transportation for site workers, Scotty’s Contracting is developing the new Exit 86 off of KY-222, which construction vehicles will use to access the site.
In an effort to develop a regional workforce that is prepared to fill the expected 5,000 jobs generated by the battery park, Ford’s workforce development team is finalizing a curriculum for workforce training at the battery park in conjunction with SK Innovations.
Last month, The Hardin County Chamber of Commerce, the Elizabethtown-Hardin County Industrial Foundation, Baptist Health Hardin and Elizabethtown Community and Technical College announced they are partnering to fund a long-term impact study pertaining to regional growth expected as a result of recent economic development announcements in the Elizabethtown-Fort Knox Metropolitan Statistical Area, including BlueOval SK. The Chamber released a Request for Proposal to find a partner who will research potential growth impact, identify similar communities that have experienced a comparable level of growth and create smart growth strategies for all regional businesses and industries.
Set to be completed in 2025, BlueOval SK is the single largest economic investment in Kentucky history and is expected to bring approximately 5,000 jobs to the region.
To help field inquiries regarding BlueOval SK among interested companies, the Elizabethtown- Hardin County Industrial Foundation has created a page for companies to leave their information. In addition, questions can be directed to BlueOvalKy@ford.com.
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