Tesla's Big F***ing Field

[SXSW]

Isn't GKFF giving away free land in the peoria mohawk industrial park? That's probably an option.

Yes but it doesn't currently have rail access.  I would think out by the airport would be a better location - better air, rail and highway access.

Peoria-Mohawk


Airport industrial options

[LandArchPoke]

Since the GKFF land doesn't have rail access that would not be an option. Direct rail access to a major line is critical to these facilities.

The other most likely spot outside of the bus plant or vacant land near the airport would be the former Black Fox site that PSO transferred to the Port Authority. It has direct access to Union Pacific through a rail spur built for Sofidel and the Port Authority is building barge access there so they'd have direct loading capabilities on the water and rail there.

[SXSW]

Since the GKFF land doesn't have rail access that would not be an option. Direct rail access to a major line is critical to these facilities.

The other most likely spot outside of the bus plant or vacant land near the airport would be the former Black Fox site that PSO transferred to the Port Authority. It has direct access to Union Pacific through a rail spur built for Sofidel and the Port Authority is building barge access there so they'd have direct loading capabilities on the water and rail there.

Black Fox would be a good location for those reasons.  It would certainly be a shot in the arm for Inola and likely would result in a lot of new housing and development in the New Tulsa area.  I would think extending 41st St with a new interchange at the Creek Turnpike and a new bridge over the Verdigris would be needed if something that large was built there.

[LandArchPoke]

Something else to think about with the SpaceX launch soon... Jim Bridenstine I'm sure has had a conversation or two with Elon. Wonder if that would give Tulsa some favor-ability politically given his ambitions for SpaceX.

[SXSW]

So evidently Tesla officials visited two sites, was it ever known which ones they visited?  It seems like Navistar checks a lot of boxes but it wouldn't be a very good look for the city to kick them out.  Spirit Aerosystems also uses part of the old bomber factory. 

I wonder if the Cherokee Industrial Park has a site big enough with rail access?  That would be the best location IMO, more central to existing neighborhoods in Tulsa and would likely pull Owasso closer to Hwy 75.  So much new development in Tulsa County has been in the southern parts it would be great to see more in the northern area.

[owenix]

Looking at the gigafactory outside of reno I don't see any kind of multimodal transport. Odd for an auto manufacturer, but I think the vision is battery powered self driving trucks.

[LandArchPoke]

Looking at the gigafactory outside of reno I don't see any kind of multimodal transport. Odd for an auto manufacturer, but I think the vision is battery powered self driving trucks.

The Reno plant only makes batteries (same as the Buffalo plant) that's why rail access wasn't as important, they don't make any cars there. Shanghai and Fremont are the only two plants for Tesla that make the actual vehicles. The plant they are looking at now will be larger than Reno/Buffalo and employ at least as many as the Fremont Plant which has about 10,000 employees. It will be producing the actual vehicles (CyberTruck and the Model Y) and almost every auto plant has direct rail access to the major line (Union Pacific, etc.)

The site in Austin (Hutto) was the runner up to Reno site. That's why a lot of people have zeroed in on thinking Austin has already landed the plant in the press. That's been the talk for a year at least of that's where the next Tesla plant would go.

So, in the long run I think that would bode well for us if we're the runner up and they do build on the Hutto site, Tulsa could very well be in line for the next plant they build. Just might be another 3-5 years down the road.

[Red Arrow]

So evidently Tesla officials visited two sites, was it ever known which ones they visited?  It seems like Navistar checks a lot of boxes but it wouldn't be a very good look for the city to kick them out.  Spirit Aerosystems also uses part of the old bomber factory. 

I wonder if the Cherokee Industrial Park has a site big enough with rail access?  That would be the best location IMO, more central to existing neighborhoods in Tulsa and would likely pull Owasso closer to Hwy 75.  So much new development in Tulsa County has been in the southern parts it would be great to see more in the northern area.

I would like to see development on the north side rather than out here in the south.  Traffic on S Memorial is horrible, even with Covid19.

[swake]

It makes the most sense for it to be located north with rail access near the airport or port or out by Owasso where Whirlpool/Verizon/Honeywell/Macys are.

The only decent south location I can think of with land and rail access would be in Jenks near Kimberly Clark, but there are so many neighborhoods around them now I'm sure there would be a zoning fight. And traffic would be awful, they would have to fix the US75 stop light at 141st in Glenpool. Maybe Coweta?

[Red Arrow]

It makes the most sense for it to be located north with rail access near the airport or port or out by Owasso where Whirlpool/Verizon/Honeywell/Macys are.

The only decent south location I can think of with land and rail access would be in Jenks near Kimberly Clark, but there are so many neighborhoods around them now I'm sure there would be a zoning fight. And traffic would be awful, they would have to fix the US75 stop light at 141st in Glenpool. Maybe Coweta?

Anything that big built near Kimberly Clark would make driving on S Memorial look like Los Angeles.  No thanks, it's bad enough already.

[swake]

Anything that big built near Kimberly Clark would make driving on S Memorial look like Los Angeles.  No thanks, it's bad enough already.

I assume traffic would go west to US-75, but not much better.

And I have said that the stupid west side Gilcrease turnpike should have been built from the US-169/Creek Turnpike split to go south across the river to relieve traffic on Memorial.

[SXSW]

I assume traffic would go west to US-75, but not much better.

And I have said that the stupid west side Gilcrease turnpike should have been built from the US-169/Creek Turnpike split to go south across the river to relieve traffic on Memorial.

Is the Yale bridge proposal officially dead?  Seems like that would help ease traffic moving between Tulsa and Jenks/Bixby.

[Rattle Trap]

I guess Stitt went to Florida for the SpaceX launch and to meet up with Elon? Lol

https://twitter.com/GovStitt/status/1265746778734944259?s=20

[rebound]

I guess Stitt went to Florida for the SpaceX launch and to meet up with Elon? Lol

https://twitter.com/GovStitt/status/1265746778734944259?s=20

Hey, if we are trying to sell Tulsa and OK, this is the kind of stuff you do.  And man, whether or not a person is in favor of Tesla coming, some of the comments are embarrassing to the state.

[ComeOnBenjals]

I agree. If we're trying to get Tesla here, we should go all out in our efforts. I'm encouraged that we're still getting face time and publicity... if it was a lock for Austin I wouldn't think we'd still be around.