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Tesla Selects Nevada For Battery Plant

RENO, Nev. (CBSDFW.COM/AP)It seems North Texas has lost out. Tesla Motors has chosen Nevada as the site for a massive, $5 billion factory that will pump out batteries for a new generation of electric cars, a person familiar with the company's plans said Wednesday.

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because no official announcement had been made, said work would soon resume at an industrial park outside Reno.

Texas and three other states were vying for the project, and the estimated 6,500 jobs it will bring.

Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval's office said only that the governor would make a "major economic development announcement" Thursday afternoon. A spokesman for Tesla, based in Palo Alto, California, said company representatives would be at the Capitol for the announcement but offered no other details.

The other finalist states were Texas, California, Arizona and New Mexico.

Tesla has done site-preparation work at the Reno Tahoe Industrial Center but had not publicly committed to building in Nevada, instead asking other states to put together their best packages of economic incentives.

CEO Elon Musk said he would prepare two sites, in case one falls through.

The person familiar with Tesla's plans told The Associated Press that a second site would still be prepared, in case Nevada is not able to deliver the incentives it has promised — or possibly to build a second factory.

(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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