By Marian Accardi, Business Writer
September 1, 2006
Huntsville Times

At summit, Cramer cites BRAC impact on region

About 30 economic development leaders and elected officials from both sides of the Alabama-Tennessee border met Thursday to discuss ways to work together on economic efforts.

"More and more we're looking at economic development issues" regionally, said U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Huntsville, who hosted the summit in Fayetteville, Tenn., with U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis, who represents Tennessee's 4th Congressional District. "Our commerce causes people to zig and zag across the state line. We have a lot of economic issues in common."

Some 5,000 to 6,000 residents of Giles, Franklin and Lincoln counties in Tennessee alone work in Madison County, Davis said.

With North Alabama and southern Tennessee officials working as a team, "we will be more cohesive and have the same vision of what can happen in this region," Davis said.

Cramer said the Base Realignment and Closure Commission's decision to relocate about 4,700 military jobs to Redstone Arsenal was part of the discussion during the summit.

"Thousands of jobs will move or be created because of BRAC," he said. "We think, on the contractor side, the sky's the limit."

Davis is expecting "a tremendous economic boom" for his district as a result of BRAC. Those transferring to Redstone will move to his area to take advantage of the quality of life and lower cost of living, he said.

The districts represented by Cramer and Davis are home to the Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center, Marshall Space Flight Center and Redstone. The congressmen met recently with Brig. Gen. David Stringer, commander of the Arnold Engineering Development Center, on strengthening Arnold's partnership with Marshall.

Those from the Huntsville area taking part in the summit were Rick Tucker, executive director of the Port of Huntsville, which includes Huntsville International Airport; Brooks Kracke, director of the Jetplex Industrial Park; Brian Hilson, CEO of the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce; Mike Ward, vice president, governmental affairs for the chamber; and lawyer Joe Ritch, chairman of the Tennessee Valley BRAC Committee.