Amazon-backed electric vehicle company considers $5 billion factory in Fort Worth
A California company that makes electric pickups and SUVs is being lured to Fort Worth.
Rivian Automotive, which also is backed by Ford, is in talks with the city to build a plant in west Fort Worth in the Walsh development, Robert Sturns, the city’s economic development director, told the City Council this week.
The city is preparing a tax incentive package to lure the company, Sturns wrote in an email.
“It’s not a done deal, but we are excited to see Fort Worth make it to this point,” Sturns wrote.
Bloomberg News, citing sources, said Fort Worth was the front-runner for the $5 billion factory.
Jim Chen, vice president of public policy, said in an emailed statement to Bloomberg that the company is talking with multiple locations.
“This may include Rivian being involved in certain public-facing processes at potential locations,” he said. “Involvement in these processes does not indicate a final decision.”
The City Council is expected to vote on the incentives Tuesday. The package includes up to $440 million in grants and tax breaks in exchange for a guaranteed number of jobs over a period of several years.
Rivian would employ up to 7,500 people by 2027, according to city documents.
The company would build its factory on the southern end of Walsh, a former ranch that is now a fledgling master-planned community and in the coming decades is expected to be home to about 50,000 residents.
The factory would be just south of Interstate 20, near the I-30 split, according to Sturn’s presentation to the council.
Rivian has a deal to build 100,000 electric delivery vans for Amazon.
This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 12:44 PM.
