Compared to other states in the Midwest region, Missouri has comparatively few “claims to fame” . Missouri does not have a Nashville or Austin equivalent, but Missouri may have a place for Elon Musk. Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, is looking for a new place to build his cybertruck, and his area of interest is none other than the midwest. The state of Missouri wants Elon Musk to bring his booming business to Missouri, specifically Joplin.
The city of Joplin is doing it’s best to win over Elon Musk. They are offering over 1 million dollars in incentives to the CEO of Tesla to choose Joplin, Missouri over the other prospective locations. The city built a custom website to court Elon Musk. On the website, they stated they would offer over 1 million dollars in tax incentives if he brought his automation business to the Show-Me state.
Joplin is only the fourth largest metro area in Missouri, but they have a lot to offer, as they are keen to show Musk. They are offering a 1,042 acre site near a rail line at a 50% discount, as well as various other incentives. They are also offering a complete tax abatement through the year 2032.
The city also pointed out on their website that the Missouri median wage is much lower than the other cities vying for a spot with Tesla. The city's median hourly rate is only $27.86, which is much cheaper than Elon Musk’s alternatives. Nashville’s median hourly wage is $31.68 and Austin’s is $35.94. The mayor of Joplin also highlighted that the cost of living in Joplin is very low at 21% below the national average.
The mayor further boasted about the city, stating that the area possesses a large healthcare system, a medical school, and a dental school. They also have mosques, temples, and churches for religious purposes and lakes, trails, music, arts, etc for entertainment. For a metro area, the city has a broad range of things to do and amenities.
The city also pointed out the great schools in Missouri. Something they did not specifically point out was the great engineering school in Missouri. Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) produces some of the greatest engineers in the country, and this could be extremely beneficial to the company. Musk could potentially hire engineers to run the cybertruck factory from Missouri, instead of relocating people within his own company.
The city of Joplin is doing everything they can to compete with the larger Metro areas vying for Musk’s attention. Joplin may not be Nashville or Austin, but it is seeking to prove that Missouri has a lot to offer.
