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Cobalt Boats will locate production facility in Tennessee

Cobalt Boats, one of the nation’s oldest privately held luxury-boat manufacturers, will locate a new production facility in the Tellico West Industrial Park in Vonore, Tennessee. The $10 million project will produce 200 large boats annually and create 350 new jobs.

Cobalt bought a 375,000-square-foot building on 72 acres from Panasonic, which had a facility equipped with engineering offices and testing laboratories at the site. “We would have been hard-pressed to design a new building more compatible with our needs,” said Pack St. Clair, Cobalt's founder and chairman. Cobalt also purchased 12 acres near Tellico Reservoir for a testing facility and marina.

“Tennessee state and local official could not have been more accommodating or more gracious in helping us find the ideal location for our new plant,” added Constantinos (Cos) Constantinou, president of Cobalt Yachts.

Tennessee Commissioner of Economic and Community Development Matt Kisber noted that East Tennessee is becoming a hub for boat manufacturing. “The quality work force and strong partnerships at the state and local level all worked hand-in-hand to make this job creation opportunity for East Tennesseans a reality,” he stated.