Tesla Cybertruck Gigafactory Battle Continues As Tulsa & Travis County Convene To Discuss Their Next Move

Featured Image Credit: @teslacybertruck/Instagram

The location of Tesla’s Cybertruck and Model Y Gigafactory—or Terafactory—will either be Tulsa, Oklahoma, or Travis County, Texas. The final decision may lie in the hands of the states.

Tulsa’s Love For Tesla

“We really want Tesla bad,” said Mike Neal, Tulsa Regional Chamber President, and CEO. “We really, really, really want them and are going to do everything we possibly can to lure them here,” he said adamantly during Tulsa World’s “Let’s Talk” virtual town hall. 

Chamber Chairman Roger Ramseyer—the vice president and Tulsa market leader for Cox Communication—and the chamber’s Senior Vice President of Economic Development, William Murphy, appeared on the “Let’s Talk” panel with Neal as well. Wayne Greene from Tulsa World acted as the moderator for the panel. 

Tesla Cybertruck Factory In Tulsa Still A Viable Option Says State Official https://t.co/AN3sV1k8ji pic.twitter.com/ywiErQsIGI

— Tesmanian.com (@Tesmanian_com) June 29, 2020

Besides Neal, Murphy expressed his support for Tesla in Tulsa as well. He shared the reasons Tulsa was the perfect place for Tesla’s next Gigafactory or Terafactory. 

“What makes Tulsa competitive for this project is similar to what we see in a lot of manufacturing projects. We’ve got a great central location, first and foremost, that allows companies, particularly large original equipment manufacturers like Tesla, to serve the entire continental United States,” Murphy stated.

He went on further to say: “Again, we’ve really done a great job in Oklahoma of creating a very pro-business environment. You couple that with the availability of large tracts of land, demonstrated success on economic development projects and I think Tulsa is well-suited to be very competitive with this project.”

Travis County’s Thoughts On Tesla 

In Texas, the Travis County Commissioners Court heard public testimonies about the development incentive package Tesla could receive for its Cybertruck and Model Y Factory for the second time. According to the Austin Monitor, the incentive package Travis County offered Tesla included an 80% rebate on property taxes for the first ten years of its residency and a 65% rebate for the following ten years.

Last week, public testimonies seemed to be mixed. While Tesla did receive some strong support from the community, there were also a few people who were hesitant about making a deal with the EV automaker. For example, some residents and labor groups were concerned about the work environment Tesla would provide for its employees.

Tesla Outlines Plans To Hire 5,000 Employees For Texas Cybertruck Gigafactory https://t.co/mm6tytHrXx pic.twitter.com/qZL0RNR2ZJ

— Tesmanian.com (@Tesmanian_com) June 24, 2020

In the latest public gathering, more residents spoke up, supporting Tesla’s move into the state. “We would be crazy if we did not take this opportunity. We can’t let Tulsa win this one,” said local resident Deborah Morgan. 

However, some residents were still hesitant about welcoming Tesla and wanted more information about the middle-skilled jobs the EV automaker pitched. “There needs to be clarity. What are the jobs, how much are they going to pay, what is the career path?” questioned Rick Levy, President of the Texas AFL-CIO union. 

Tesla has managed to narrow down the list of states that vied to be its Cybertruck and Model Y Gigafactory’s home. The EV automaker made its pitch to both Texas and Oklahoma about a week ago. Now, the ball is in Tulsa and Travis County’s hands.