NASHVILLE, TN — Power in baseball is typically associated with home runs, with production often correlated with batting average, runs batted in and wins above replacement.
But in Rutherford County, just 30 minutes from Nashville and once the capital of Tennessee, those two terms take on vastly different meanings, and the county continues to reap the benefits.
Nissan North America, International Paper, Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, Schwan Cosmetics. Major international companies, and every one of them calls Murfreesboro home. Add in Middle Tennessee State University — the top producer of graduates for the Greater Nashville economy — and healthcare leaders National Healthcare Corporation and Ascension Health, and it’s easy to see why Murfreesboro, Smyrna and the Rutherford County area are booming.
Nissan’s vehicle assembly plant in Smyrna — which produces 640,000 vehicles per year — has operated since 1983. The plant currently produces Nissan’s Leaf, Maxima, Murano, Pathfinder and Rogue models, as well as the Infiniti QX60. Nissan has invested more than $7 billion in the Smyrna facility during the four decade-long period of its operation.
Those major businesses — and their respective investments in the community — have spurred substantial growth for Rutherford County. The county saw its population grow by more than 40,000 from 2015 to 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In addition to its position as the second-fastest growing county in the state of Tennessee, Rutherford County also ranks as the fifth-largest county by population, with current estimates positioned between 350,000 and 360,000.
Once those residents arrive home, they can enjoy the products of another household brand with production right in Rutherford County: General Mills, whose food items span across nearly 50 brands. Two of those brands, Yoplait and Pillsbury, are focal points of the Murfreesboro facility, one in which General Mills invested $65 million in late 2021 in order to increase efficiency and meet growing customer demand.
MTSU’s expanded offerings and central location have drawn students from across the state. Among those unique offerings is the School of Concrete and Construction Management, housed in a new $41 million campus building. Students and staff from this school provided the guidance and construction of the concrete barriers used along the track in Nashville’s recent Music City Grand Prix.
Rutherford County is also closely aligned with high-scale sustainability efforts. The Leaf’s batteries are produced at a 500,000-square foot factory right next door by Envision AESC, which employs more than 350 people.
Once these batteries have fulfilled their role in powering vehicles, there is growing hope that some might be repurposed and applied as part of the power grid. Middle Tennessee Electric, a not-for-profit, member-owned electric cooperative serving Rutherford County and numerous other communities in the Midstate, is a key player in that effort, working with various groups to consider such a possibility.
All of this combines to power an economic, educational, and cultural engine that strengthens the entire region. It’s this regional growth that continues to support the efforts of the Nashville Stars as we work to bring MLB to all the sports fans in Middle Tennessee.
