Featured image: tesla.pickup/Instagram

Tesla has received many proposals since Elon Musk announced that it would be looking for the next Gigafactory location. The San Antonio Economic Development Foundation is hoping to sway the company to plant its latest Cybertruck Gigafactory closer to San Antonio. 

“San Antonio’s expertise in the cybersecurity and automotive manufacturing sector strengthens Austin’s value proposition as a technology leader,” said Jenna Saucedo-Herrera, president and CEO of the local economic development agency. “We will continue pursuing Tesla as they consider all of their location options in the great State of Texas.”

The Interstate 35 corridor would present a unique opportunity for Tesla to accelerate its administrative, tech, and manufacturing operations, Saucedo-Herrera said.

Source: Tesla/Twitter

Local local tech industry leaders say that having a Tesla plant in Texas is a very interesting and valuable proposition for the San Antonio’s technology sector.

The Rivard Report reports that David Heard, CEO of Tech Tech Bloc's local technology protection team, said the move would be very beneficial for all of Central Texas, including San Antonio, if Tesla performs it.

“San Antonio can supply some of the Tesla workforce as well [even if it does choose Austin],” Heard said. “We have the Alamo Colleges District, which has lots of programs set up to train talent for manufacturing jobs.”

Specialists located near Austin or San Antonio are high-level professionals, so this possible location of the automaker will make a lot of sense.

A move away from California’s Silicon Valley would not only be “a huge validation of Central Texas as a massive mega-hub for innovation and for software development,” but “would say a lot about Texas and our economy,” Heard said.

He says that it doesn’t matter whether a new factory is located in Austin or San Antonio, in any case it is positive for the whole state. It is also likely to attract more San Antonio residents to the technology industry.

“I wouldn’t be surprised to see the factory located somewhere that leverages both Austin and San Antonio,” Heard said. “It’s a win [for Texas] either way.”

It would be a catalytic event for the region, said Dax Moreno, chief talent officer of Tech Bloc and head of the Tech Talent Central program. Moreno said Tesla’s arrival in Texas would likely draw other technologies companies to the state.

As Texas is a business-friendly state, Moreno said the move would be a good one for Tesla.

“When someone like Elon Musk, someone known throughout the world and who has shifted so many industries, chooses Texas it really signifies there is something special here,” Moreno said. “He could pick any new place to call home, so to choose here - that would say something amazing.”