By Alison Henderson
The St. Paul Ford plant, which opened in 1925, is scheduled to close by the end of the year.
Despite government efforts to keep the plant open, the closure is part of a larger national trend as Ford production rates continue to shirnk. In addition, auto-making contributes less than 1 percent to the state economy, according to a Star Tribune report.
Most of the 2,000 long-time workers have transferred to places such as Louisville or Kansas City, leaving less than 130 full-time union workers.
Ford officials said the plant will likely go up for sale in 2012. The land, located along the Mississippi River, is considered "prime real-estate" by city officials. However an environmental impact analysis must be completed before developments are made, according to a KARE 11 report.
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