Staff recommends 10-year, 60% tax abatement for Stellar Energy’s proposed Fort Worth plant
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Summary
City staff recommended a 10-year, 60% tax abatement for Stellar Energy Americas to build a modular-cooling manufacturing facility in the Alliance area, contingent on roughly $80 million in capital investment and creation of 1,420 jobs by 2027; council asked a brief clarifying question about the project’s council district.
City economic-development staff recommended the council enter a 10-year, 60% property-tax abatement for Stellar Energy Americas to build a modular cooling-equipment facility on Blue Mound Road in the Alliance Westport 24 development.
Shree Gordon, presenting the item, described the proposal as a fast-moving project with strict performance timelines: “The company is committing to a minimum capital investment of approximately 80,000,000 by 12/31/2026 and…1,420 full time jobs by 12/31/2027,” she said. Gordon said the jobs would be a mix of line workers and engineering positions with an average salary of $78,000 and that the abatement would be subject to default and forfeiture if Stellar failed to meet investment, job or salary commitments.
Staff estimated the investment would generate about $4.7 million in taxes and calculated the proposed city participation at roughly 2.6% (staff displayed a staff-recommended 60% abatement over 10 years). Amber Shaver, Stellar’s chief administrative and legal officer, and Jonathan Jenkins of Moore Partners attended the presentation.
Why this matters: Staff framed the abatement as aligned with Fort Worth’s target industry strategy and a large private investment that would create payroll and jobs locally. The presentation included a 30-day public-notice period that began Jan. 7 and a scheduled Municipal Neighborhood Corporation (MNC) consideration on Feb. 10.
Council response: Councilmembers asked minimal clarifying questions; Councilmember Flores asked which council district the site was in and staff answered it is in District 10.
Next steps: Staff recommended formal abatement paperwork and MNC consideration; any agreement would include performance and clawback language, and would return with required approvals before any abatement is finalized.
