Panasonic Battery Plant

[Plutonic Panda]

See my links in my post. UT is great, but is also about all Texas has from a public college standpoint. And even then it is hard to compare that to most public colleges, given how much money they have from oil wells. But Oklahoma bats well above their average in higher ed rankings, especially compared to their crappy K-12 rankings.

Having a progressive city like Austin and the University it has is a massive asset to Texas. Oklahoma doesn’t have anything remotely close.

[chssooner]

Having a progressive city like Austin and the University it has is a massive asset to Texas. Oklahoma doesn’t have anything remotely close.

Again, not arguing against that. Just saying that this facade that Texas has a better higher education system as a whole is just plain wrong. UT helps Austin a ton. Not gonna lie. But there isn't anything Oklahoma can do about that, and they spend pretty well on their higher Ed.

We are arguing 2 different things. There are no new colleges or universities starting up in this country. So OKC isn't going to get some major college. They can't change that Norman was chosen as the place to build the flagship university. They are growing their HSC campus in OKC, and the area around it.

Right now, Oklahoma is being punished by 23rd and Lincoln, and their decisions, especially constantly pushing Tulsa over OKC.

[Scott5114]

Maybe it’s a bit too early but Winstar supports a large employment base so perhaps Panasonic could have been supported too.

When I worked for the Chickasaws, I knew more than one person who declined a transfer to WinStar because of the lack of housing in the Thackerville area. Houses hardly ever came up for sale there, and at the time nobody was building new ones (I don't know if this is still true today). A good number of WinStar employees live in the OKC or Dallas areas and make that long drive every day. Apparently if you're in a lucrative department like blackjack or poker, you still come out ahead, though.

[BG918]

When I worked for the Chickasaws, I knew more than one person who declined a transfer to WinStar because of the lack of housing in the Thackerville area. Houses hardly ever came up for sale there, and at the time nobody was building new ones (I don't know if this is still true today). A good number of WinStar employees live in the OKC or Dallas areas and make that long drive every day. Apparently if you're in a lucrative department like blackjack or poker, you still come out ahead, though.

Interesting, I’ve always thought most people working there lived in Gainesville which is only 10 min south. Denton is 45 min and Ardmore is 30 min, those would likely be better options than OKC.

MAIP to Tulsa is 45 min, northern parts of Broken Arrow are closer to 35 min so it’s not that far from metro Tulsa but not a fun commute either. I wouldn’t mind living just east of Pryor near Lake Hudson, that’s a beautiful area. Grand Lake is also only 25 min away and just over an hour to Fayetteville.

Fair Oaks (which will also include housing) and the Port of Inola will certainly be more attractive from the standpoint of being closer to Tulsa. Lots of potential for multiple large manufacturing plants in those three areas along the future interstate corridor at Hwy 412

[Bunty]

When I worked for the Chickasaws, I knew more than one person who declined a transfer to WinStar because of the lack of housing in the Thackerville area. Houses hardly ever came up for sale there, and at the time nobody was building new ones (I don't know if this is still true today). A good number of WinStar employees live in the OKC or Dallas areas and make that long drive every day. Apparently if you're in a lucrative department like blackjack or poker, you still come out ahead, though.

Very tiny Thackerville will never be a boom town since it actually lost population from 2010 to 2020. The bigger small towns in the area aren't very desirable places to live in, since the most they have to offer is a Walmart, Home Depot or Lowes. They all may be only small versions of the big metro versions.

[LocoAko]

Not sure what to make of this, if anything. Panasonic making moves for a second battery plant here?

https://twitter.com/reesejgorman/sta...41426337136640

[Jake]

Not sure what to make of this, if anything. Panasonic making moves for a second battery plant here?

https://twitter.com/reesejgorman/sta...41426337136640

Will be interesting to see how Oklahoma loses out yet again.

[HangryHippo]

Will be interesting to see how Oklahoma loses out yet again.

Dayum, lol.

[Jake]

https://www.readfrontier.org/stories...g-in-oklahoma/

[Anonymous.]

https://www.readfrontier.org/stories...g-in-oklahoma/

"The Senate committee, made up of 10 Republicans and two Democrats, will meet for the first time Tuesday."

Yes, I can already see how this study will go. Let me guess, the argument will continue to be "but other conservative states land companies!". To which the response is, "yes it is called pros and cons." Everywhere has both, the goal should be to remove as many cons as possible.

[Just the facts]

https://www.readfrontier.org/stories...g-in-oklahoma/

Maybe if the State and Local governments focused strictly on quality of life items we wouldn't have to bribe companies with corporate welfare. $700 million would be better spent on OKC to Tulsa rail than a battery plant

[Just the facts]

Corporate welfare is a race to the bottom. Quality of life is a race to the top. If I was in charge banning corporate welfare would be a Day 1 item

https://thehill.com/opinion/finance/...orate-welfare/

[Dob Hooligan]

Maybe if the State and Local governments focused strictly on quality of life items we wouldn't have to bribe companies with corporate welfare. $700 million would be better spent on OKC to Tulsa rail than a battery plant

I'm no fan of OKC to Tulsa rail. I would even say it is corporate welfare, IMO. Because it is a commercial enterprise that requires a subsidy, won't bring any more people to Oklahoma, or create permanent, high paying jobs.

[ComeOnBenjals!]

I do think politics has a small part to play in this issue, but I don't think it's that important. Look at the tremendous amount of development and relocation to Texas.. they've got arguably more conservative policies than Oklahoma does.

[FighttheGoodFight]

The thing I see the most from these reports is investing in our workforce. I think that starts with getting more students into higher ed, trade schools, community colleges, etc... Or you have to attract young talented people to move here for those jobs. I dont think we are going to convince young people to move here so lets start by getting a more skilled workforce.

[Plutonic Panda]

Maybe if the State and Local governments focused strictly on quality of life items we wouldn't have to bribe companies with corporate welfare. $700 million would be better spent on OKC to Tulsa rail than a battery plant

This is the perfect time to do it as they are preparing to widen the I-44 corridor to 3 lanes each way between OKC and Tulsa. Start with the cheapest segments in this situation first beginning at the park and ride station in OKC at I-44/I-35 junction to a new park and ride station outside Sapulpa. That is a very realistic scenario and one that could be done cheaper by combining the highway widening contracts with the rail maintaining a speed for 220MPH which is modest compared to the new MagLev trains opening in China and Japan.

After that is built then we can focus on the best to extend each section in downtown transit centers in OKC and Tulsa. Oklahoma could easily be the first US state to have HSR but there is zero chance our legislature would support that. The Texas legislature is trying to sabotage the proposed Austin metro expansion.

Or use the funds to plan and build the nuclear power plants at Inola. Or build a marine highway to OKC to support an inland water port there so we have two water ports in the state. US-69 should be upgraded to a fully freeway to support future development in this area. Work with Texas to extend I-45 to Tulsa. So much that could be done. Get rid of the tolls on I-44. No foresight.

[Plutonic Panda]

I'm no fan of OKC to Tulsa rail. I would even say it is corporate welfare, IMO. Because it is a commercial enterprise that requires a subsidy, won't bring any more people to Oklahoma, or create permanent, high paying jobs.

How do you figure this? We’re about the only major developed country in the entire world that doesn’t have HSR. It absolutely is a quality of life issue. Even Egypt is build a network of HSR. Using that logic than interstates are corporate welfare as well. Infrastructure is an investment that doesn’t need to turn an immediate profit. The profit comes from other ways rather than direct user fee return.

[Plutonic Panda]

I do think politics has a small part to play in this issue, but I don't think it's that important. Look at the tremendous amount of development and relocation to Texas.. they've got arguably more conservative policies than Oklahoma does.

They have liberal Meccas like austin and even Dallas and Houston are considerably more blue than anywhere in Oklahoma. So are places like El Paso and San Antonio. Texas is much more purple than Oklahoma is.

[dcsooner]

They have liberal Meccas like austin and even Dallas and Houston are considerably more blue than anywhere in Oklahoma. So are places like El Paso and San Antonio. Texas is much more purple than Oklahoma is.

Agree

[chssooner]

They have liberal Meccas like austin and even Dallas and Houston are considerably more blue than anywhere in Oklahoma. So are places like El Paso and San Antonio. Texas is much more purple than Oklahoma is.

I don't know how to say this, but, state law supercedes city law. Look at the laws that state enacts. Some are worse than here. They just have money to throw at companies in amounts Oklahoma will never have.

Like, literally. Just look at the tax breaks they give out to get jobs. Austin is blessed in having UT there. Dallas has a ton of people. But they aren't passing Portland or San Fran-type laws. So liberal mecca seems VERY extreme.

[Dob Hooligan]

How do you figure this? We’re about the only major developed country in the entire world that doesn’t have HSR. It absolutely is a quality of life issue. Even Egypt is build a network of HSR. Using that logic than interstates are corporate welfare as well. Infrastructure is an investment that doesn’t need to turn an immediate profit. The profit comes from other ways rather than direct user fee return.

I am not unsympathetic, but I think the Great Plains of the American West is so car-centric that a rail system of 100 miles will be seen as nothing more than an expensive toy. It will not realistically and effectively reduce private vehicle usage at a level to make a difference. Either symbolically or economically.

[Plutonic Panda]

I am not unsympathetic, but I think the Great Plains of the American West is so car-centric that a rail system of 100 miles will be seen as nothing more than an expensive toy. It will not realistically and effectively reduce private vehicle usage at a level to make a difference. Either symbolically or economically.

It’s a start. You gotta start somewhere.

[Scott5114]

I do think politics has a small part to play in this issue, but I don't think it's that important. Look at the tremendous amount of development and relocation to Texas.. they've got arguably more conservative policies than Oklahoma does.

I would say it's entirely possible that Texas might be growing even faster if they didn't have those policies.

In any event, I don't imagine a committee made up of 10 Republicans and 2 Democrats is likely to release a report saying our policies are too conservative, even if the CEOs of the companies that turned our offers down directly told them so.

[Plutonic Panda]

KFOR article on our legislators trying to figure out why we’re being passed over: https://kfor.com/news/local/lawmaker...over-oklahoma/

[fortpatches]

I would say it's entirely possible that Texas might be growing even faster if they didn't have those policies.

In any event, I don't imagine a committee made up of 10 Republicans and 2 Democrats is likely to release a report saying our policies are too conservative, even if the CEOs of the companies that turned our offers down directly told them so.

Senate Pro Tem Treat seemed to at least acknowledge that the conservative policies around social issues is a factor when looking at Headquarters locations.

> After losing out on Volkswagen and Panasonic, critics have pointed at a number of issues.

Access to abortion and health care rights for trans youth have been a couple major legislative actions that some Oklahomans believe could be scaring away investment.


Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, the organizer and potential chair of the select committee, did not buy those arguments.


“I think that’s a red herring. I don’t think it plays into as much as some people like to believe,” said Treat.


He said talking to the business community shed a new light on how those issues can become a factor.


“They actually told me it plays more of a factor when you’re talking about headquarters than manufacturing plants,” said the Pro Tem.