Mayor Admits NAFTA Super-highway Will Run Through Memphis

Mayor Admits NAFTA Super-highway Will Run Through Memphis



Jeni DiPrizio
MyEyeWitnessNews
June 17, 2010

Memphis Mayor, A C Wharton is back from Mexico. Wharton went to Mexico, to discuss trade opportunities south of the border. Wharton said as a result of the trip, he has appointed a team to look at how fostering the Mexico-Memphis relationship could create jobs. Wharton said he would like Memphis to be a one stop shop, where Mexican products come in, and get distributed across the United States.

Wharton said Mexican leaders were well versed on what is happening in the Bluff City. “They knew how many Mexicans lived in the area, how much spending power they had, they had studied us,” added Wharton.

Mexico is the United States second largest trade partner. Wharton said when the I-69 International Highway is built from Canada to Mexico it will run through Memphis. “This could become the breaking point. The brains of the I-69 connection, that’s why Memphis is a logical place,” said Wharton.

Mauricio Calvo is the director of Latino Memphis. Calvo supports Wharton’s trip. “Part of the mayor’s job is to sell Memphis as a good place to do business in and with,” said Calvo. He added,” We don’t see this as an issue impacting Hispanics; we see it as an issue effecting the whole community.”

Wharton said members of a newly appointed team will begin to immediately meet with a team in Mexico. The teams will look at economic development opportunities for businesses, on both sides of the border.