Page 28 - Murfreesboro, TN Comprehensive Plan: Chapter 7, Economic Development

7.28 Chapter 7

DRAFT 12.02.15

Economic Opportunity: The I-24 evolve into a full cluster development strategy with
special marketing, business recruitment, events and
Aviation Corridor industry-specific incentive programs layered into it.
The foundational element of this opportunity is the
Murfreesboro and Rutherford County are home to an Aerospace program at MTSU. This program is currently
unusual array of aviation/aerospace/avionics-related involved mostly in pilot and air traffic controller training
facilities and resources. These include, among others, as well as some advanced research in unmanned
the Aerospace program at MTSU, the Rutherford County aerial vehicle (UAV) or “drone” technology. Although
Airport and the Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport the program is not currently deep in the engineering
(Sewart Air Force Base). As part of a collaborative and technology development side of the Aerospace
regional initiative, these resources have the potential to industry, MTSU’s recent addition of a nearly $150-million
be parlayed into new regional economic opportunities science building and its well respected engineering
around aviation-related education; tourism/ technology and mechatronics programs position it to
recreation; international business recruitment; aircraft do so in the future – particularly if done in partnership
manufacturing, testing and repair; and even the possible with established aerospace companies and educational
commercialization of MTSU-developed research and research powerhouses such as MIT or Cal-Tech.
technology.
As the nation’s skies get more and more crowded, the
The proposed I-24 Aviation Corridor essentially starts City and region could eventually position itself to land
with a regionally “owned” branding moniker that could a possible new Federal research institute (under the