By Adam Studzinski
BLOOMINGTON – Six months following the announcement the Mitsubishi Motors plant in Normal would be shut down, and two months after the actual closure, State Rep. Dan Brady (R-Bloomington) said it’s almost becoming a “cold case file.”
“The state and Department of Economic Opportunity, early on, had some very encouraging news at different times,” said Brady. “As time goes on it’s going to get tougher and tougher.”
Brady said the most ideal situation would have obviously been to have a new car manufacturer move in without the plant having to shut down.
“Obviously, that didn’t happen,” said Brady. “The last substantive potential that I had head was something that was not involved in car manufacturing.”
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville) said his office has been involved in trying to find a buyer for the Mitsubishi plant, and he’s still hopeful one can be found. Davis added the positive he’s taken away from the situation is that leaders in Bloomington-Normal have been extremely active trying to find a buyer for the plant, rather than sitting back, being disappointed and doing nothing.
Adam Studzinski can be reached at adam.studzinski@cumulus.com.
