Ross Perot family company eyes Middle Tennessee for potentially massive industrial park

A Texas-based company connected to the Perot family is eyeing an estimated 1,400 acres in Wilson County to potentially develop a multi-building industrial park with millions of square feet of space.

The company, Hillwood, is currently considering whether to file a request to rezone the farmland southeast of the Linwood exit off Interstate 40, according to officials.

Initial discussions with planning officials and a community meeting with residents have revealed that Hillwood representatives are thinking of adding more than 12 million square feet of indoor building space to the property in phases.

There had not been a rezoning request or site plan that lays out plan details submitted as of deadline for this story, and no firm numbers have been provided. Efforts to reach a Hillwood representative were unsuccessful.

But some information was presented during the recent community meeting Hillwood hosted at Crossroads Fellowship Church, which drew a large crowd as speakers expressed concerns about the potential for an industrial park. Hillwood's Chairman Ross Perot Jr. is the son of late billionaire Ross Perot Sr., who gained notice as a two-time U.S. Presidential third party candidate in the 1990s.

Area landowner Jack Pratt Jr. believes the community is “overwhelmingly against” a large industrial development.

“I would rather the county stick with its current growth plan and current zoning,” Pratt said.

The property had a Planned Unit Development overlay for a Dell Webb branded housing community approved years ago that has since expired, Wilson County Planning Director Tom Brashear said. Any use of the estimated 1,400 acres beyond farming would likely need a rezoning or amendment approval, Brashear said.

Warehouse and distribution, light manufacturing, office space and a possible commercial component near I-40 are potential uses Hillwood has indicated interest in, according to initial discussions.

A new residential plan for the property with another developer would be preferable to the industrial plan, according to area landowner Perry Neal.

“I’d rather have property that doesn’t develop, but (if it does develop) I would personally rather have a nice subdivision that isn’t going to care about our community and neighborhood,” Neal said.

There are also concerns about expanding the area's industrial footprint if an initial proposal moves forward, Neal said.

But for now, nothing is set in stone.

When asked about the proposal this week, Wilson County Mayor Randall Hutto said, "I'm for whatever the people want out there."

Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com or 615-726-5939 and on X, formerly known as Twitter @ AndyHumbles.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Neighbors concerned as Perot eyes Tennessee land for industrial park