Nissan gets neighborly as headquarters opens

By KEVIN WALTERS • Staff Writer • July 22, 2008 FRANKLIN — Years of waiting end this morning as Gov. Phil Bredesen, Nissan North America leaders and others gather in Franklin to mark the opening of the automaker's $100-million, 10-story corporate headquarters, the Nissan Americas building. The company is moving to Franklin after spending two years in the AT&T building in downtown Nashville while its new building was under construction. The event, which begins at 10:30 a.m., will bring national and international media attention to Franklin, where local officials say the company and its estimated 1,500 employees are likely to have a big impact. Franklin Mayor John Schroer says it's still too early to tell exactly how much the automaker's presence will affect Franklin. "We have yet to see what the impact is, not only from a... [read full story]