DE SOTO, Kan. — On Wednesday, the self-described small town of De Soto welcomed tech giant Panasonic to Kansas on a breezy November morning.
“As a community, me personally, and through local government over the years, [we’ve tried to] make something happen out here at the ammunition plant and it’s been a long process,” De Soto Mayor Rick Walker said. “Wondering if we’d ever make it to the finish line, and today we have actually made it.”
The electric vehicle battery factory is expected to add up to 4,000 jobs through the $4 billion project.
Long-time De Soto residents have mixed feelings on the new build.
“It’s going to be so much busier I think,” said Lisa Welch, a local bar and grill server. “I just hope that people who come to this town will come work here too.”
Walker said city officials are hoping to fast track some projects they initially planned to phase in over the course of a few years due to an anticipated influx in tax revenue.
Locals noticed changes before the Wednesday morning groundbreaking. Most notably, a new stoplight in town.
“There hasn’t been a stoplight there for the 20 years I’ve been around here and now there is,” said Mark Snider. “It’s going to be a great deal. It’s going to change the lifestyle here though.”
Kansas put together an incentive package to attract Panasonic to the area. In July, the governor’s office said these would be paid on a reimbursement basis.
“They always say 'Location, location, location,'” said Steven Jansen. “For Kansas to be picked as a site for a major industrial development is something that doesn’t often happen to Kansas, even eastern Kansas.”
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