BUFFALO, N.Y. — State officials have released updated numbers and say Tesla has "far exceeded" its job and investment commitments at the Buffalo Gigafactory.
The South Buffalo Tesla plant was created with the promise it would bring more than 2,000 jobs to New York State, including 1,460 in Western New York.
According to the state, Tesla reported at the close of 2021 that it had 2,265 total workers across the state, with 1,626 of those in Buffalo.
"While navigating the challenges of the pandemic, Tesla managed to grow its operation by diversifying to include work on charging systems and Tesla’s autonomous and self-driving vehicle initiatives- demonstrating its commitment to building the Gigafactory into a world-class advanced manufacturing center while expanding its business throughout New York State," said a spokesperson for Empire State Development in a release.
ESD says competitive wages and generous benefits attracted employees to the Buffalo plant.
It says Telsa also reported investing and spending more than a billion dollars in New York State, more than $560 million more than their obligation.
The state still has to verify Tesla's official submission of its commitments, as part of the state's due diligence process.
Senator Sean M. Ryan released this statement Tuesday:
"The entire project was costly, opaque, and completed with little oversight. It shows why we need significant changes at Empire State Development and with our economic development strategy. We are happy to have the jobs, but the state should have demanded that they pay higher wages and employ unionized workers. Under the previous administration, Empire State Development missed the mark by failing to prioritize good-paying jobs. Moving forward, I want our economic development system to be more transparent, have more oversight, and focus on the long-term quality of jobs that are created."