Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} General Motors broke ground Friday on a new $200 million stamping facility that is expected to create 180 new jobs in Arlington.
"This plant's payroll is $1 million a day. So, just think of what kind of economic impact that has on everybody in the city. It has that rollover effect," said Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck.
The new facility, expected to be finished by 2013, will be responsible for producing large metal stampings like doors, hoods and panels for the GM sport utility vehicles made in Arlington.
The expansion all made possible after Arlington approved a 10-year, 90 percent tax abatement for the expansion.
"People always question whether or not we should give incentives, you bet we should. If we didn't do it this plant would be elsewhere,' said Cluck.
As GM continues to expand, gas prices continue to rise, but as long as people buy gas-guzzling SUVs, GM says it will keep building them.
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"We're aware of that but our customers still like our great product," said plant manager Paul Graham. "If you're hauling a large family around, it's got capacity for 8 people, so there's definitely still a market for our vehicle."
