740 acres in Marshall Twp. considered for VW plant?

Local officials are not confirming nor denying rampant rumors that Volkswagen AG officials are considering Marshall Township's, 740-acre Gerholz farm property on C Drive North for its next North American assembly plant though Michigan is the only state of the three, which include Chattanooga, TN and Alabama that has not identified the city in which VW officials are reportedly considering for the plant that would employ up to 2,500 people, according to published reports. Township Supervisor Eugene Hamaker said three large companies have looked at the site recently but would not say whether VW is among them. Marshall Economic Development Manager Mike Hindenach also would not comment on prospects for the land that he and the township are heavily marketing for development. He did say, however, that the Gerholz family farm property is the largest available development property, already zoned for industrial use, between Detroit and Chicago. He is working with the firm McCallum Sweeney to get the land designated a state certified megasite which would make it even more desireable for large scale inustry. VW has confirmed (See Kalamazoo Gazette) that Michigan is one of the three finalist states for the plant, according to a variety of news sources. And, local officials contacted for this story said they could not comment because they are bound by a confidentiality agreement. See today's Chronicle front page for more on this story.