Nevada Gov May Announce Huge Factory In Reno
Carson City, NV — Various media outlets including the Associated Press are reporting that Tesla Motors has decided to build its $5-billion car battery factory in Nevada. Reports are not yet official but the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center says Tesla has a permit and has cleared “a massive amount of land” at their center which is 10 miles east of Reno. Another 10 miles to the east Apple is building a large 345 acre data center at the Reno Technology Park.
Tesla told his shareholders that they plan to employ up to 6,500 workers by 2020 in a 10 million square foot factory and eventually produce more batteries than all of the current lithium-ion battery production in the world today. Plans call for opening the plant for production in 2017.
Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval has planned an official press conference. According the Nevada Governor’s website, there will be a “major economic development announcement” Thursday afternoon at 4pm. The Associated press reports a Tesla spokesman says company representatives will be at the press conference.
It was recently reported that Stockton could have been a location for this factory, if it was built in California. The Palo Alto based company is also looking at Texas, Arizona or New Mexico. Tesla already has a large factory in Fremont, California. National Geographic’s show Megafactories featured it in an episode, details here.
California State Senator Ted Gaines (R) and Senator Darrell Steinberg (D) proposed an incentive package for the plant to be built in California, including several CEQA waivers. The plan has not been brought up for a vote. Nevada’s biennial Legislature wasn’t scheduled to meet until Feb. 2, 2015. It is reported that Gov. Sandoval has called for a special session early next week to consider the tax abatement package they will offer Tesla. Under current Nevada law, economic development officials would not be able to provide tax incentives worth the requested $400 million or 10% of Tesla’s cost to build the factory.
