Tesla's Big F***ing Field

[Rattle Trap]

Also, interesting to note, Austin and Travis County have been considering shutting back down because of their recent spike in COVID cases. If I recall correctly, county officials weren't holding any meetings due to COVID, and called a special meeting just to discuss Tesla incentives.

From what I've gathered, Austin officials dragging their feet is what cost them the last factory. People have speculated that Tulsa is Tesla's backup plan if Austin and Travis County officials can't get the process expedited.

It could be possible that if Travis County shut down again and couldn't give Tesla what they want in the timeliness they want it, that Tesla chooses Tulsa.

[patric]

Also, interesting to note, Austin and Travis County have been considering shutting back down because of their recent spike in COVID cases. If I recall correctly, county officials weren't holding any meetings due to COVID, and called a special meeting just to discuss Tesla incentives.

From what I've gathered, Austin officials dragging their feet is what cost them the last factory. People have speculated that Tulsa is Tesla's backup plan if Austin and Travis County officials can't get the process expedited.

It could be possible that if Travis County shut down again and couldn't give Tesla what they want in the timeliness they want it, that Tesla chooses Tulsa.

All we have to do is out-Texas Texas.

"There are more important things than living. And that's saving this country for my children and my grandchildren and saving this country for all of us."

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/texas-lt-gov-dan-patrick-reopening-economy-more-important-things-n1188911

[Laramie]

Don't know if this comparion has been posted or not; however here goes...

'Don't let the silence fool you. Tulsa still in the running for Tesla factory, state official says'

https://www.tulsaworld.com/business/dont-let-the-silence-fool-you-tulsa-still-in-the-running-for-tesla-factory-state/article_29961172-5690-57ce-ad87-d7b8e1f2068d.html#1

[Laramie]

All we have to do is out-Texas Texas.

"There are more important things than living. And that's saving this country for my children and my grandchildren and saving this country for all of us."

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/texas-lt-gov-dan-patrick-reopening-economy-more-important-things-n1188911

Good post, Patric

[SXSW]

Travis County is dragging its feet postponing approval of incentives to July 7.  The longer they drag on the better our chances IMO.

https://communityimpact.com/austin/southwest-austin-dripping-springs/business/2020/06/30/travis-county-continues-tesla-deliberations-with-no-date-set-for-vote-on-economic-incentives/

[Rattle Trap]

Travis County is dragging its feet postponing approval of incentives to July 7.  The longer they drag on the better our chances IMO.

https://communityimpact.com/austin/southwest-austin-dripping-springs/business/2020/06/30/travis-county-continues-tesla-deliberations-with-no-date-set-for-vote-on-economic-incentives/

Oh wow I was under the impression they had already approved the incentive package. From what i've been told Tesla has every intention of making the announcement in July. That article says the next meetings for discussion are scheduled for July 7th and 10th.

Wouldn't be surprised if Tesla gave them a deadline to decide or they'd go elsewhere.

[LandArchPoke]

Oh wow I was under the impression they had already approved the incentive package. From what i've been told Tesla has every intention of making the announcement in July. That article says the next meetings for discussion are scheduled for July 7th and 10th.

Wouldn't be surprised if Tesla gave them a deadline to decide or they'd go elsewhere.

July 7th is for the County incentives.

July 10th is for ISD property tax incentives (school district which account for usually about 50% or more of people's tax bill in most areas of Texas). This is really the critical one, because  they tax personal property for businesses. So, for Tesla, the tax bill would be astronomical given the specialized equipment needed in the plant. Telsa officials said in the last meeting for the ISD that if this isn't approved they will not build the plant there. The other county incentives are probably just icing on the cake type thing.

[DowntownDan]

Travis County is dragging its feet postponing approval of incentives to July 7.  The longer they drag on the better our chances IMO.

https://communityimpact.com/austin/southwest-austin-dripping-springs/business/2020/06/30/travis-county-continues-tesla-deliberations-with-no-date-set-for-vote-on-economic-incentives/

"We are skeptical. Numerous studies have shown that local governments rarely if ever receive benefits commensurate with what incentives cost, and, despite what they say, businesses rarely if ever give incentives much weight when deciding where to locate," said local resident Michael Floyd, who spoke on behalf of Central Texas Interfaith."

Truth. We will surely give them whatever they want. Hell, we can just raise a tax and pay it directly to Elon Musk's account, because we are that desperate. But the last part is the difference. Austin has a highly educated workforce and major college. Tulsa has a bunch of people complaining about haircuts and chilis and teachers who had to literally walk to OKC for a modest raise. It's not even a close call imo that they'll choose Austin with whatever they give them.

[SXSW]

Austin does have the leg up on % of people with college degrees.  But you don't need a college degree to work on the assembly line at an auto manufacturing plant.  Tulsa has the better workforce for this type of specialized manufacturing with our aerospace (AA, Spirit, NORDAM, etc), mechanical equipment (AAON, Whirlpool, etc) and oil & gas equipment (Baker Hughes, H&P, Process Mfr, Linde, etc) industries.  We have one of the best trade schools in the region and one of the top welding schools in the country. 

I'm sure the incentives deal will work in Texas' favor but this type of operation is definitely in our wheelhouse.  I'm still wondering where they would put the factory here, is it the PSO Black Fox site?  Has Tesla put an offer on any property outside Tulsa like they have outside Austin?

[Rattle Trap]

So apparently there's a Twitter account that tracks Elon/Spacex's private jet. I have no clue if this is legit, but according to this account it stopped in Tulsa today:

https://mobile.twitter.com/ElonJet/status/1279161173775171590

[LandArchPoke]

"Tulsa has a bunch of people complaining about haircuts and chilis and teachers who had to literally walk to OKC for a modest raise. It's not even a close call imo that they'll choose Austin with whatever they give them.

I think you confused Tulsa with Texas

https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/texas-governor-closes-bars-lawsuit-protest
"Bar Lives Matter" Rally in Austin

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/coronavirus/lawsuit-filed-against-gov-abbott-for-face-mask-order/2400685/
Lawsuit by Texas Businesses against facemarks

https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/08/politics/ted-cruz-texas-hair-salon-shelley-luther/index.html
Hair Salon owner arrested while opening business during shutdown, then Ted Cruz gets haircut there

Texas has just as many of these people as Oklahoma. The cities are just bigger, so it creates a 'perception' nationally that Texas is more liberal. I can tell you as someone who has to live here now it is not. Frankly, most Texans think their s*** doesn't stink so they're 10x more vocal about their "right" to do whatever they want here than I've ever experienced in Oklahoma.

Midtown Tulsa is just as liberal as Austin, it's just smaller given the MSA is half the size. There's not much difference between Round Rock/Georgetown as there is Broken Arrow/Owasso.

[Rattle Trap]

So apparently there's a Twitter account that tracks Elon/Spacex's private jet. I have no clue if this is legit, but according to this account it stopped in Tulsa today:

https://mobile.twitter.com/ElonJet/status/1279161173775171590

Elon was in Tulsa yesterday:

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1279262905410568193?s=20

[patric]

Any lingering doubts Tulsans might have about whether Tesla is seriously considering building its next factory here vanished late Friday afternoon when company CEO Elon Musk arrived in town in his private plane.

https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/government-and-politics/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-makes-visit-to-tulsa/article_75fe10c3-5fc4-54d1-9d9c-ffee4c1b50c5.html

It means he's either legitimately interested, or has the cash to put on a show.

[Rattle Trap]

https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/government-and-politics/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-makes-visit-to-tulsa/article_75fe10c3-5fc4-54d1-9d9c-ffee4c1b50c5.amp.html?__twitter_impression=true

"To maximize our time together, we had set up a tent, table, chairs, some snacks and water on the site," Kouplen said. "... You can see downtown from the site, we are up high on a hill, it is really a beautiful day. So we're basically just having our little over an hour conversation out there in the middle of the field."

So....if this site has a view of downtown, that pretty much rules out Inola, or anything in the east Tulsa area. Is this proposed site on the west side of the river? Didn't the city offer some land over there to Amazon for HQ2? There's rail access all over the place, which is probably the most important thing for a car manufacturer.

[dbacksfan 2.0]

If you look at the Tesla factory in Fremont CA on Google Maps or Google Earth, there are no rail lines going into the facility. There was at one time when it was the joint Toyota/GM  NUMMI plant. There is a Union Pacific rail yard immediately east of the plant used for shunting, but it's not a load/unload yard.

Tesla's Nevada Giga Factory does not have a rail line running to it either. There is a main rail line near by, but the access point for load/unload is 20 miles west in Sparks NV.