ATLANTA — Georgia Governor Nathan Deal met with executives of Jaguar Land Rover, owned by Indian firm Tata Motors, to discuss the location of a possible US factory.  This comes after the announcement this week of the naming of Sandy Springs as location for a giant, 12-acre office complex for Mercedes-Benz to be used as their new US headquarters.

In a report in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the secret meeting was held in England last month.  The report stated that four people with knowledge of the situation said Deal and the Georgia Economic Commissioner Chris Carr met with representatives of the company, which is scouting sites for a new factory, more likely in the southeastern US.

In fact, industrial property in south Georgia was specifically discussed, though the report could not give a specific location.  The term “South Georgia” could mean any area south of a line from Columbus, to Macon, to Augusta.

There has been no official confirmation of the report by the State or the Governor’s office.  It did also go on to state that the Sunday Times of London reported in December that representatives from South Carolina had pitched that state to host the factory.  Other states have been involved as well.

The factory is projected to produce up to 200,000 vehicles a year.