02-02-2018, 11:35 AM
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see you later, I'm gone
Industry Role:
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 14,057
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Quote:
Originally Posted by baddog
Exactly, it was "only" 20 years old. TBH, I never knew it existed and I highly doubt anyone I know knew it existed either. Well, other than you; but I don't think we have met.
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It was a pretty big deal in KC . There were 30 cities competing for the plant back in 1996-1997. Then they hired only the cream of the crop in employees. There were like 2000 people competing for the 300 original positions when they opened.
Anyway, it was here, now it will be gone 
Harley-Davdison to close its Kansas City motorcycle plant | The Kansas City Star
Quote:
It is a stunning end to what was at the time a glorious beginning when Harley announced in 1996 that it was putting down roots here.
Kansas City beat out 30 other cities in 10 states in a months-long competition.
Then-Mayor Emanuel Cleaver called it ?a once-in-a-century catch for Kansas City.?
It came at an opportune moment. The Kansas City area was then in the midst of a several years of disappointments that would see the area lose the headquarters of the NCAA, the Big 12 athletic conference headquarters and the annual FFA convention.
Winning the Harley plant mitigated the blows somewhat.
But that success did not come cheap. Area leaders said the $85 million to $100 million assembly plant was well worth the initial $6.4 million-incentive package that the state, city and Platte County offered. Those tax credits and other subsidies would over time grow by tens of millions of dollars.
The plant went onto produce the Softail, Sportster and Street motorcycles.
The first motorcycle, a 95th anniversary edition of the XL 1200 Custom, rolled out of the nearly 400,000-square-foot plant on Dec. 22, 1997, followed by a grand opening two weeks later attended by more than 200 employees and their families.
The first Harley Sportster was given to Harley?s top officials to take to the company?s Milwaukee headquarters. The second one, signed by all the employees, was presented to Cleaver and put on display at the visitors area of the plant.
Cleaver, now a congressman representing the Kansas City area, issued a statement Tuesday afternoon saying he was sad to hear the factory was closing.
?I remember aggressively seeking and fighting for the motorcycle assembly plant to set up in Kansas City when I was mayor.? he said. ?Now, to see it close and the reported 800 people out of work or making the difficult decision to relocate, is disappointing. Kansas City is still a vital economic hub and sought out by many for its technology sector. I have no doubt it will continue to attract lucrative businesses to replace those lost jobs.?
In November, the company announced the plant was producing the company?s newest motorcycle to hit the market ? its Sport Glide model.
At the time of that announcement, the company said the addition of the Sport Glide in Kansas City would not change the size of the workforce, then at 748.
The decision to close the plant comes at a time when Harley is at odds with its unions.
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