In Personally Signed Essay/Opinion Piece, Long Beach Chamber Pres/CEO Randy Gordon Cites Benefits For Tesla & LB For Electric Carmaker To Locate In LB; LBReport.com Provides It In Full
(Oct. 1, 2009) -- Following personal advocacy and some public prodding by Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske aimed at city management and Mayor Bob Foster, LB Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Randy Gordon today (Oct. 1) published the text below in one of his personally signed Strictly Business opinion pieces on the LB Chamber's advocacy webpage.
LBReport.com provides it verbatim:
A Chance To Build, Together
The story of Tesla Motors is that of a true underdog. The upstart automaker had a dream to reinvent the electric car market with reliable, attractive, performance-minded vehicles that ran on pure electricity. The odds were stacked against them and many hurdles stood in their way. But, Tesla has been deemed an undeniable success after completing all deliveries of its striking Roadster and debuting an electric four-door sedan called the Model S that threatens to change the American view of mass-produced vehicles as we know it.
The United States Department of Energy recently validated Tesla’s efforts by granting them loans worth about $465 million to produce more electric vehicles -- an attempt to jumpstart the electric industry with the once-mocked Tesla Motors leading the way. Now, the young company is looking for the perfect place to settle and produce its revolutionary automobiles. And Long Beach is just the place.
In order to build the annual 20,000 Model S sedans that are planned, Tesla needs a facility and they need it fast. An immediate interest was taken in Long Beach, where we are always looking for new business partners and just happened to be looking for a new tenant in a Boeing-owned former aircraft production plant. What a coincidence! The currently vacant plant can accommodate Tesla’s needs. So, the automaker announced that it would locate its new manufacturing headquarters either the vacant plant in Long Beach or...in nearby Downey.
Now, with all due respect to the fine city of Downey, there really is no comparison here. Their city government has made a strong push to attract Tesla. But, Boeing as well as a Long Beach team of city staff led by Mayor Bob Foster and City Manager Pat West have worked tirelessly to communicate and negotiate with the carmaker since rumors of a partnership began. Also, Long Beach City Councilmember Gerrie Schipske (the vacant Boeing facility is located in her district) reminds her constituents time and time again, our city offers so much more than just a place to build cars. Specifically, we offer our rich manufacturing history in the aircraft and automobile industries; we offer a dedicated, experienced workforce that is highly skilled and well educated; we offer the resources of two local colleges that continue to produce California’s best and brightest. These are the foundations that built Long Beach and will carry it into the future -- with the help of Tesla, innovators in their industry and leaders of a new automobile revolution.
The effect that Tesla would have on Long Beach is immeasurable. While creating 1,000 to 1,200 jobs and generating substantial revenue, the clean-and-green company would only further Long Beach’s reputation as one of the most environmentally-conscious cities in America. In return, Tesla Motors would receive lucrative enterprise zone tax credits for hiring local employees that are simply not available anywhere else. Additionally, freeway access and nearly endless stream of a local, talented workforce will ensure a strong and vibrant economic future for a company of the future.
This deal is not about what the City will receive, or what Tesla will receive. Instead, is a deal that is about the things that the two can accomplish together. And, it is the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce’s belief that Long Beach and Tesla Motors can accomplish so much more with each other than they ever can separately, forming an alliance of environmentally-friendly innovation and leadership to guide others in the same direction. Eventually, changing the industry. Then, maybe companies across America.
This relationship has the potential to change the way we look at our own society. This is a chance to build better cars, to build a better local economy, and to build a better nation, together. We cannot and must not allow that opportunity to slip away...
Councilwoman Schipske has issued the following statement in response:
Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske thanks the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, President and CEO, Randy Gordon, for his positive and thoughtful statement encouraging Tesla Motors to locate their Model S manufacturing plant in Long Beach. Councilwoman Schipske believes this positive statement will be the boost we’ve needed. Councilwoman Schipske has been working to rally support for Tesla Motors to locate in Long Beach. The site currently under consideration is located in the Council District she represents, Long Beach’s Fifth District. In addition to producing a short video for youtube.com, Councilwoman Schipske has encouraged residents to send letters of support to Tesla Motors founder and President, Elon Musk.
Councilwoman Schipske's 5th Council district includes now-vacant Boeing 717 manufacturing property (NE quadrant, Lakewood Blvd @ Conant St.) that Tesla is currently considering.
In August, Tesla Motors president Elon Musk told LBReport.com that in his view to that time, the City of LB had done less than other cities in trying to attract his company, which he said could bring 1,000 to 1,200 new jobs to LB.
Website screen save: www.teslamotors.com
Mr. Musk said Councilwoman Schipske was "the first and only call" to him personally...and spoke highly of her efforts...but added that to that time he had not heard from LB Mayor Bob Foster about the matter.
LB city management responded by indicating that it had met with Tesla officials and corresponded with them...and city management released a memo dated Aug. 14 (7 pages with 20 pages of attachments) regarding Tesla and LB City Hall's business attraction efforts which LBReport.com published in full (to view it, click here).
Downey City Hall has taken visible measures to woo Tesla. Downey Patriot.comreported on Sept. 18 that Downey officials were "leaving no stone unturned in their recruitment efforts," including a $10,000 half-page, full color LATimes. ad showing Downey City Councilmembers holding a banner that said, "Downey Welcomes Tesla Motors -- Apollo to Tesla -- the legacy continues."
The ad included an open letter top Tesla CEO Musk, calling Downey a "nimble, innovative, well run city."
Downey Patriot.com's story also reported that all five Downey City Councilmembers "boarded a city bus for Hawthorne-based SpaceX, a space technology company headed by Musk" and "delivered a large gift basket filled with NASA books and artifacts, a testament to Downey’s aerospace history. Mayor Mario Guerra said the basket also included an official city pen." "It's for Mr. Musk to sign the deal with Downey," said Downey Mayor Guerra.
