Jack Daniel's plans $140 million expansion

Tennessee whiskey giant Jack Daniel's is set to make a $140 million expansion to its distillery in Lynchburg, according to Gov. Bill Haslam and state economic officials.

Increased demand is driving the expansion, which will also create 30 jobs, according to the announcement. The money will go toward building two new "barrelhouses" and expanding the existing bottling facility to create more capacity, the announcement states.

"Jack Daniel’s is a Tennessee tradition that was born in one of Tennessee’s smallest counties and has grown into a globally recognized brand. That says a lot about the quality and commitment of Moore County’s workforce,” Haslam said in a prepared statement.

“I thank Brown-Forman and the Jack Daniel Distillery for their continued investment in Lynchburg and bringing us closer to making Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high-quality jobs.”

Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd also heralded the move, thanking the company for what he called its long history of success in the state.

This expansion comes after a $103 million expansion three years ago, according to the news release.

"The bourbon and American whiskey category is booming, and we appreciate the support of our Tennessee state and economic development officials as we work to meet global demand for Jack Daniel’s,” said Larry Combs, an executive with Jack Daniel’s Supply Chain.

The state's financial role in the investment has not been announced. Economic development officials said the company will likely receive a grant, with the grant proposal going before the state's funding board in the coming months.

"The capital investment is large and shows the company’s commitment to the state," spokesman Clint Brewer said. "It shows they are continuing to invest in the state in their facilities here and in the workforce here."

Brown-Forman, which reported $684 million in net income last year, employs about 4,400 workers.

"We want to make the state’s resources available for infrastructure, for job training to existing companies just like we do companies we recruit from out of state or even overseas," Brewer said. "They are taxpayers in the state already, so they should have the same access to these programs as companies from other places."

The expansion will also include renovations to the facility's visitor center, which saw more than 275,000 visitors last year.

Butch Spyridon, CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp., said he expects Brown-Forman's investment to positively affect Nashville tourism as well.

"We are the main drawing card to the area and if we do well, they pull more people down there, and if they expand their capacity, that will be good for us," Spyridon said. "We absolutely love it and support it and will promote it. It’s a good day trip and a good reason for somebody to stay an extra day."

Reach Dave Boucher at 615-259-8892 and on Twitter @Dave_Boucher1.