Under Armour picks Tennessee over Upstate

The rumors of Under Armour Inc. establishing a presence in Greenville have been silenced now that the Baltimore-based apparel company has announced plans to build its new 1 million square-foot distribution and warehouse facility in Mt. Juliet, Tenn.

Under Armour officials say they expect the $100 million project to open in the Nashville suburb in early 2016 and create 1,500 new jobs over five years, according to a release issued by the company Oct 2.

The announcement comes after a series of regional reports speculated on the company’s prospective sites. In July, the Upstate Business Journal reported that Under Armour had narrowed its choices to Nashville, Atlanta, and Greenville.

What incentives Greenville and the state of South Carolina offered to lure the company to the Upstate is unknown.

Allison Skipper, spokesperson for the South Carolina Department of Commerce, said the state does not publicly comment on its recruitment and economic development efforts specific to active or previously active projects. Kevin Landmesser, senior vice president of the Greenville Area Development Corporation, said the organization has no idea whether Under Armour looked at Greenville or not.

“If they did, we were likely cut in an early stage,” he said.

Although Greenville did not win the distribution facility, the Nashville Business Journal reported last week that Mt. Juliet was not Under Armour’s cheapest decision and pointed to Tennessee’s central location and quick response as key contributors to the company’s decision.

Kip Fulks, Under Armour COO and president of product, said the company took immense pride in partnering with the state of Tennessee, specifically referencing the state’s workforce and advanced transportation and logistics infrastructure.

Though details of the incentives were not disclosed, the Nashville Business Journal reported Wilson County, Tenn., has approved more than $6 million in tax abatements over seven years.

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