Gun manufacturing giant Smith & Wesson hosted a grand opening of its $125 million new Tennessee headquarters after moving from its longtime home in Massachusetts.
The company built a new 650,000-square feet office in Maryville as part of a relocation plan announced in 2021.
The gunmaker had been located in Springfield, Massachusetts, since the mid-19th century, but hoped to move to a more gun-friendly state.
‘From where I stand, the next 170 years of Smith & Wesson are looking pretty good. It is something special here in Tennessee,’ President and CEO Mark Smith said at Saturday’s grand opening.
Gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson opened its $125 million new headquarters in Tennessee after relocating from Massachusetts
Blount County Mayor Ed Mitchel (left), Si Robertson of Duck Dynasty (center) and Rep. Tim Burchett (right) helped cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony. Smith & Wesson chose Tennessee because they wanted to move to a gun-friendly state
Smith & Wesson officials have said legislative proposals in Massachusetts would prohibit them from manufacturing certain weapons.
The Democrat led state is known to have some of the country´s strictest gun laws.
Smith said The Volunteer State’s welcoming regulatory environment and close collaboration with the state government was a crucial piece of the plan to relocate.
He said the new facility would create hundreds of jobs.
Tennessee has moved to loosen gun restrictions in recent years under Republican leadership.
In 2021, the state passed a law to allow most adults 21 and older to carry handguns without a permit that requires first clearing a state-level background check and training.
Smith & Wesson manufactures AR-15 style rifle weapons, the weapon of choice in many of America’s deadliest mass shootings.
Smith & Wesson manufactures AR-15 style rifle weapons (pictured) which has been used in many of America’s deadliest mass shootings
A 2022 House Oversight Committee investigation determined that five major American gunmakers: Daniel Defense, Bushmaster, Sig Sauer, Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., and Sturm, Ruger & Co., took in a combined total of $1 billion in revenue over 10 years from the sale of AR-15s.
Smith & Wesson saw sales jump over the same period from $108 million to $253 million.
The company was slammed for refusing to appear at that House hearing on assault rifles.
President Joe Biden has called on Congress to pass an assault weapons ban several times.
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