This story is part of an ongoing series, Powering Change: Panasonic and De Soto. If you'd like to share your excitement or concerns about the electric vehicle battery plant, you can do so here.
The target opening has been this spring for the Panasonic electric vehicle (EV) battery plant in De Soto, Kansas.
Officials say the plant is expected to create 4,000 jobs and could bring thousands of housing units to the area.
KSHB 41 reached out to Panasonic spokespeople to confirm the timeline this week, and received an email that stated, "We cannot definitively say, as the date has not been set.”
They also said they should know more in the next couple of weeks. Johnson County and De Soto officials tell KSHB 41 they are still confident in the spring timeline.
There is a lot at stake in this project tied into the local economy.
“This was not going to be a 6,500-person town for very long," Alex Waller said.
A growing De Soto is what made Alex and Lindsay Waller decide to move there and open their own business, Force of Nature Brewing.
“I think it's a net positive as a resident," Waller said. "It's just there's some growing pains as they're building the big plant and infrastructure out there."
De Soto officials said their most recent data estimates around 2,300 housing units in De Soto right now. That estimate also shows there are 2,500 housing units under consideration in De Soto. The mayor said this number includes zoning applications and incentive requests, along with what’s actually under construction.
“We need more homes, Sherelle Witt, a resident, realtor and the owner of Oasis Nutrition in De Soto." We need more people, we need more people to be able to buy into the community and be a part of the community. To be in this community, you're going to need both. You can't just be able to come in and buy a home. Some people need to be able to have that affordability of the rent and then transition into a home.”
De Soto Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council President Tim Holverson said the city is prepared to keep growing with what Panasonic brings.
“As you have more rooftops, as you have more people, that gets you on the radar for more, you know, retail, commercial opportunities,” Holverson said.
And while Waller hopes the city can hold onto its charm, he knows it’s a delicate balance with such a big change on tap.
“I feel like the change is a net positive for the city,” Waller said.
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KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig covers the cities of Shawnee and Mission. She also focuses on issues surrounding the cost of health care, saving for retirement and personal debt. Share your story idea with Elyse.