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Waller County approves tax abatement agreements for Tesla’s Brookshire manufacturing site
Summary
The Commissioners Court approved two tied tax abatement agreements enabling Tesla to lease and operate manufacturing space in the Empire West development in Brookshire, with presenters saying the project would bring advanced manufacturing jobs and substantial capital investment to Waller County.
Waller County Commissioners Court on a voice vote approved two tax abatement agreements allowing Tesla Inc. to lease manufacturing space at the Empire West business park in Brookshire.
County economic development representatives told the court the agreements (agenda items 19 and 20) are structured so Tesla will lease buildings owned by SRPFB Empire West Phase 2 LP and SRPFB Empire West Phase 3 LP. Vince, the county’s economic-development presenter, said the project will create “1,500 advanced manufacturing jobs” and represents a large capital investment for South Waller County.
The agreements as read into the record describe two related projects. Under the Phase 2 agreement, SRPFB Empire West Phase 2 LP would construct a manufacturing facility with improvements estimated at $44,000,000; Tesla would install manufacturing equipment with an estimated cost of approximately $150,000,000. Under the Phase 3 agreement, SRPFB Empire West Phase 3 LP would build a facility with an estimated cost of about $31,000,000 and Tesla would make building improvements and equipment upgrades (an amount in the minutes was recorded as “$2,000,000” after an initial transcription error).
Shiv Mysore, identified in the meeting as Tesla staff, said the Brookshire site will be a replication of another Tesla factory and that Tesla will operate the facility directly rather than through a third-party logistics provider. Brett Rhodes and Javier were introduced as engineering/construction and plant management representatives who will work on the site. Stream Realty and local city economic-development staff also were acknowledged for their role in attracting the project.
The court’s motion to approve the agreements was made, and the judge announced, “All in favor of 19 raise your right hand. Opposed. So 19 and 20 are approved.” The minutes do not record roll-call tallies or recorded dissents.
The court noted for the record that the two items had been combined for voting purposes though they were read as separate agreements. No additional conditions or amendments were recorded in the minutes.
A separate presentation during the same agenda segment encouraged contracting and workforce partnerships with local high schools and universities; Tesla representatives said they have intern programs and plan to recruit from regional technical programs.
Votes and formal motions on the two abatement agreements were recorded in the minutes as approvals; the audio transcript does not include a detailed roll-call vote or a breakdown of how individual commissioners voted.
Ending: County staff said next steps include finalizing the lease and tax payment agreements with the city of Brookshire and executing the abatement paperwork. The court did not attach additional conditions to the abatement approvals in the meeting record.
