Mega mystery company coming to Kansas?

[SubGod22]

This project is still pending, but the incentives the state created to lure it to Kansas has landed a $650M plant near Manhattan This facility will develop vaccines to combat biological threats and is expected to create 500 jobs. Scorpion Biological Services is behind the project that still has to pass local approval but would pair well with KSUs Biosecurity Research Institute.

[wufan]

I would not mind being in the Manhattan area!

[rrshock]

The mystery company is supposedly Panasonic. They would be making batteries for Tesla.

[SubGod22]

WBJ - Kelly 'very confident' Kansas will land $4B megaproject

"I think we have made it very clear, and the company is recognizing, that we really do have the best environment for their business, with access to a highly qualified workforce; the partnership that we will form with this company (to) really meet their needs not only today, but into the future; and obviously, our location, in the dead center of the country with great intermodal abilities," she told the Kansas City Business Journal. "I'll be very surprised if we don't prevail."

In February, Kelly signed into law the Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion (APEX) bill, through which the mystery manufacturer and as many as five suppliers could net as much as $1.3 billion in incentives, according to the Kansas Legislative Research Department.

Although critics have flagged concerns with APEX's specific subsidy tools, Kelly said the program already has proved successful. Since 2017, Kansas has missed out on 11 megaprojects valued at $1 billion or more. But since APEX became law, Kelly said, the state has been approached with about 12 new megaproject opportunities, about half from companies with electric vehicle industry ties, plus others from tech companies.

"We have not reached out to them," she said. "They have come to Kansas since the passage of the APEX bill and want to take a look at doing business here, so it's been remarkably successful. ... Success begets success, so landing (the $4 billion megaproject) will open the eyes of not only the 12 who have already approached us, but others."

It is encouraging that regardless of the ultimate decision by Panasonic, allegedly, that there have been a dozen other possible opportunities that have been presented to Kansas as possibilities. Hopefully these aren't all focused around KC, but you can bet that most are. But could KC landing a few open up doors to Wichita? I have no idea.

[SubGod22]

Fox 4 KC - Panasonic could have two projects at Sunflower Army plant, plans suggest

Even before Panasonic Corp. makes its reported decision between Kansas and Oklahoma for a new electric vehicle battery plant, officials in De Soto have started making proactive incentive moves to facilitate not just one, but two potential $4 billion megaprojects.

At a five-minute special meeting Monday evening, the De Soto City Council agreed to a July 7 hearing date for two separate, but substantially similar, $4 billion project plans near the north entrance to the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant, southeast of a Kansas Highway 10 bend.

The two project plans both outline advanced manufacturing facilities of at least 2.5 million square feet, as part of about 4 million square feet of total site work. The first 309-acre project site sits directly north the 296-acre second, at the southeast corner of 103rd Street and Dual Drive. The initial megaproject is expected to deliver as many as 4,000 new jobs.

This could be huge for the De Soto community. I know we'd all prefer something like this in the Wichita metro, but Kansas landing anything this big would be a win and help open up more opportunities within the state.

[SubGod22]

Eagle - Panasonic chooses Kansas for $4 billion mega battery factory, Asian media reports

Panasonic plans to build a $4 billion, 4,000-employee factory in Kansas to make batteries for the rapidly growing electric vehicle market, Asian media reported Wednesday.

Nikkea Asia reported that the Japanese electronics giant is planning to invest several billion dollars for an electric vehicle battery factory in Kansas. Gov. Laura Kelly scheduled a “special event” at 5 p.m. Wednesday in Topeka.

Her office declined to comment on the Nikkea report.

The Star previously reported that the factory would likely be located at the former Sunflower Ammunition plant in Johnson County’s De Soto.

At 3 p.m. Wednesday, the Kansas State Finance Council, which must approve incentives targeted for Panasonic, was scheduled to meet. The governor’s office had not provided reporters with an agenda for the meeting.

The announcement concludes a national search for a new site and a heated competition between state officials in Kansas and Oklahoma, the two finalists for the project. Leaders have previously said the factory could employ as many as 4,000 workers with average annual salaries of $50,000.

I know at least one person on this board doesn't care because it's in KC and not Wichita, but I still think this is a plus for the state as a whole and could potentially open up the Wichita metro to future large opportunities.

[SubGod22]

WBJ - Report: Panasonic chooses Kansas over Oklahoma for new battery plant

Panasonic chose Kansas in part because of its proximity to Texas and favorable tax treatment, as it looks to triple or quadruple its battery production value by fiscal 2028, according to Nikkei Asia.

This spring, Oklahoma approved a cumulative $848 million in local and state incentives. But a $300 million portion — a 12-year tax increment financing district inside Pryor's MidAmerica Industrial Park — was subject to a referendum petition, which sought to put the district's formation to a ballot vote in November.

Kansas officials still have not officially named Panasonic as the company behind "Project Ocean," or confirmed its state selection. But throughout this year, Gov. Laura Kelly has maintained confidence that Kansas ultimately would go on to win the megaproject.

[SubGod22]

I will also add that according to Governor Kelly, there are 12 other 'megaprojects' that at least have Kansas as a possibility and have expressed some level of interest.

It's always possible that one of those might like the Wichita area.

[Kung Wu]

I know at least one person on this board doesn't care because it's in KC and not Wichita, but I still think this is a plus for the state as a whole and could potentially open up the Wichita metro to future large opportunities.

How could importing mountains of acids and toxic chemicals into Johnson County be bad?

[SubGod22]

How could importing mountains of acids and toxic chemicals into Johnson County be bad?

I think it's more the $200M in average annual wages that go with the project. What metro area wouldn't want that?

[Kung Wu]

I think it's more the $200M in average annual wages that go with the project. What metro area wouldn't want that?

Agreed!

[ShockerFever]

I wish Northeast Kansas would just fall into the Missouri already.

[Kung Wu]

I think it's more the $200M in average annual wages that go with the project. What metro area wouldn't want that?

Wait, if the average annual wage is gonna be $200M, I don't think it's gonna last very long.

[SubGod22]

KAKE - Impact of Panasonic factory on Kansas economy

Hill said benefits include diversifying the state’s tax base, partnerships with technical and community colleges to fill open positions and companies potentially raising wages to compete with Panasonic. Gov. Laura Kelly announced Wednesday that the plant will open in De Soto, but Hill said people across Kansas will likely feel the trickle-down effects.

“Panasonic will likely bring some of their suppliers here, and in that case, you know, Wichita, or even some of the other metropolitan towns across the state would be, you know…that's where you see some of that very positive spillover effects to something like this,” he said.

KAKE - 'We've been found': Panasonic chooses Kansas over Oklahoma for multi-billion dollar investment

"With the people of Kansas, we will provide critical protection capacity to one of the fastest growing and most exciting industries in the world," said Kris Takamato, Executive Vice President of Panasonic Energy.

Takamato said Panasonic selected Kansas due to its business-friendly climate, workforce, strong transportation infrastructure and its central location in the United States. The project is expected to create up to 4,000 new jobs and lead to an investment of up to $4,000,000,000 in Kansas' economy. Governor Kelly also suggested that the project could create an additional 4,000 jobs through suppliers and community businesses.

"This first of its kind investment will represent the largest economic development project in Kansas' 161-year history," said Governor Kelly.

The facility will create and supply-lithium-ion batteries. Panasonic Energy says its current U.S. battery manufacturing operation has shipped more than 6,000,000,000 electric vehicle battery cells to date.

[SubGod22]

Eagle - Panasonic to break ground on new Johnson County electric vehicle battery plant Wednesday

Panasonic will begin construction on a $4 billion electronic vehicle battery plant in DeSoto next month.

The company, which announced in July that it would come to Kansas, will formally break ground on Wednesday in a ceremony not open to the public. The plant will be housed at the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant South of K-10.

Kansas won the deal with Panasonic after extended negotiations and a bidding war with Oklahoma. In order to win the deal Kansas lawmakers passed the biggest incentive program in state history into law to win the project.

It will be interesting to follow this and see if/how it impacts the Wichita area. It will also be interesting to see if this program draws any other large projects and if any of them find their way to our metro in the future.