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Happy Anniversary, Macerata Wheels!

It was about a year ago that there was a big announcement that promised 101 new jobs over the next three years. I bet you know where this is going…

Wheels spin to bring new jobs to Danville

Yeah! Forget all the Job Busts before, because this is real! This job announcement has no chance of failing because you can see from the photos that they have wheels that look like the ones that will be made in Danville.

And hey, the City of Danville went ahead and vouched for them to the Tobacco Commission and got them a big ol’ check for $600,000. That’s a lot of money to help put all that fancy wheel making equipment in that big ol’ warehouse that they’ve got. Now now now… don’t be concerned with the plan that they’ve got to import wheels from China to get started. We all know how reliable Chinese companies are when it comes to Danville! This announcement has got to be real because they have a they have a banner that says these wheels are going to be made in Danville!

One year after this announcement, let’s take a look at what they have gotten accomplished. You know what looks like a wheel? The number zero, that’s what. Zero movement on this product, zero real progress, zero anything. However, there were lots of zeroes on that check for $600,000. I wonder how many of those zeroes have been used?

I’m seriously smelling Yet Another Job Bust here, folks. I’m not the only one who believes that Macerata Wheels has four flat tires.

23 comments to Happy Anniversary, Macerata Wheels!

  • CHRIS

    Bruce, Everyone saw this coming why did the city not? These guys had zero experience in manufacturing, zero engineering skills, and zero of their own money. It was smoke and mirrors from the start. Why does their seem to be no accountability?

    • Lee Smallwood

      What is accountability? Should the people of Danville vote out the three best candidates for council who are incumbents? Should the people insist the economic development people be fired? If nobody legitimate wants to come to Danville (even when we spend lots of money clearing off land at Berry Hill), doesn’t the pressure to do SOMETHING lead to this type of conduct? It’s a hope and a prayer.

      We quite frankly have a labor surplus in this nation and globally. Computers and other machines make things so ridiculously easy to do these days that coal mines that historically employed hundreds employ dozens now. Textile mills that were in our area are run with fewer personnel in any shanty town that is the current lowest bidder at the moment. I think it’s why we feel so comfortable mass-marginalizing people as felons in this society and mass-incarcerating them. It isn’t enough, though. What should be happening is that the benefit of the automation should be felt by everyone and everyone should be better off. Instead, the benefits flow obscenely to the rich, powerful, and connected.

      • Jerry

        Well…maybe people should accept economic reality? Maybe it’s worth having a real conversation about what Danville is. IMO, Danville is obviously a dying city that has dramatically grayed over the past decade. Unless you’re blind, you can see this wherever you go in the City.

        I think a more realistic set of ideas is to stop these ridiculous grants. Invest that money in health and education rather than fly-by-night lunacy or restaurants (something this City does not need more of). Make the existing population a little smarter and healthier rather than giving the money to companies that never produce.

        The blog Bacon’s Rebellion had a very good piece a couple of weeks ago (if you search, you’ll find it) about the death of small town America. Small towns like Danville need to focus on retirees and being a retirement community. Look at the population. Throwing grant money around is nothing but a waste of resources that “economic developers” convince people they should do. It’s not a wise strategy for a community like Danville. Henrico County just landed a 500 job call center with NO grants or incentives. Telvista? God only knows how much $$$ the City gave them (I bet the owner of the site could find out)……Danville’s giving $50K to get a restaurant according to this website.

  • Another “No Surprise Here” deal.
    What is surprising is they would get $600K and locate in a piece of shit facility completely off the beaten path. If were going to waste money, why not force them to be downtown. By the way, I bet Rick Doss did not get $600K to locate a real business downtown.

    As they say, you cannot make this stuff up but when you have a council of fools…

  • Thaaaaat's Riight

    You are correct safesession, Rick Doss has never gotten a dime from anyone. Neither has any other Danville native who has worked their asses off to have a local business

  • Wilson

    Nor has Midtown Market and many others. As an old racist mill-town, Danville seems to have done absolutely nothing tight in at least 30 years. A few folks get richer and richer while the rest of us watch hard-working people suffer and send their kids away for any hope of prosperity. Basic education is the ONLY answer–but of course that’s a loser money-wise for the leeches who do just fine in this racist old mill-town. Obviously they want to keep it that way–and seem to be doing so nicely.

  • Re-Tired of it all

    For what it’s worth, the wheel company didn’t select the property but was told it would be a great location for the operation. The IDA promised a renovated facility to them although the building was previously condemned. After all this time the work is still incomplete to the point that the operation can not begin. If you want to know the truth about these failing companies you should investigate how the money is handled regarding the companies that are awarded the renovation work without having to bid on it and who is involved in it all the way up. The city employs a consultant on these matters who basically runs it all. Do your own research and see if you don’t come to the same conclusions. Follow the money trail if you really want to know what is going on.

    The state isn’t going to help with the economic development either because the Uranium mine operation will generate more revenue than a city full of retired citizens.

  • Bruce. Any updates on this Macerata Wheels and their $600k

  • Charles

    We were looking for the 100 jobs. If they don’t open where does the money go? City going to get paid back?
    We want to know what is going on? Please post updates!!

    • Harold Garrison

      I can answer that, the citizens of Danville will be the ones to pay! In July I asked City Council for a spreadsheet of all the “job announcements” with the date, name of the business, how much money, how many jobs promised and how many jobs delivered. If several citizens would ask for the same information maybe we could get some infomation.

  • Danville taken again

    Someone please contact Danny Marshall. As a member of the Tobacco Commission he helped award this $600k to a nonexisting company.

  • Danville taken again

    Please contact Linwood with any questions concerning this bust. He seems to be part of them all.

  • Charles

    Bruce. Now that you have two good legs can you find out more detail on this busted wheel business. I and others want some answers!

  • Charles

    Anybody have any updates on this bust. I see the city is trying to sue GOK and Web Parts for the lost money. What about this $600k? Any news?

  • Lied to by Owners

    As a student at Danville Community College I studied precision machining technology. The crooks of Macerata Wheels at their big presentation told me that with this background in machining they would
    be hiring a lot of students like me for full time employment. What gives? I look to try and find them and they never opened up. I was at the presentation when they were awarded the $600k. Who do I need
    to talk to find out if they are in business or not? No phone number no email, no business address. If they took that money and ran the two owners at the presentation should be charged with fraud. It looks
    like to me they lied to me and everyone at the presentation that I attended

  • KLRIII

    https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151528477392847.1073741826.43831032846&type=3

    Yeah, don’t you just love these announcements that are all for show. These 2 guys were so obviously out of their league with their plans anyone associated with recruiting or engaging their scheme should be extraordinarily embarrassed.

    The short answer to your questions are there never was a business, there never will be a business and whatever money was granted will never be repaid.

    • Lee Smallwood

      I must say this does seem like the most egregious of all the recent failures. It raises the question in my mind of at what point Stratton becomes a co-conspirator in a fraud and should be held just as responsible as the other parties.

  • safesession

    Stratton, City of Danville managment as well as Danville City Council.
    As previosuly stated, every time the Mayor starts a speech with ‘It’s Another Beautiful Day in Danville”, we just lost another $500,000 – $1,000,000.

  • Danville Taken Again

    Any work about legal action taken on the two swindlers of this tobacco commission money or is it just another beautiful day in Danvile?

  • Charles

    I heard that the city attorneys were forcing legal action on the owners. Anyone else heard anything?

  • Charles

    Anyone ever here the final results on this fraudulent scheme? Did Farless pay the city back the $600,000?

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