Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce Hails GM Announcement on Battery Plant Project as “A Great Day for the Lansing Region”
The General Motors (GM) announcement that it intends to build two electric vehicle (EV) battery plants in Michigan, including one in Delta Township, has been hailed by the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce (LRCC) as “a great day for our region.”
The GM announcement today came after the Michigan Strategic Fund approved a package of incentives that were the final in a series of moves by state and local governments to clear the way for the projects. Locally, GM will invest $2.68 billion in an EV battery plant to be located near the current GM Lansing Delta Township Assembly Plant. The project will support GM’s future growth in the electric vehicle (EV) market and create up to 1,700 new jobs in the Greater Lansing region. GM also announced it is making an additional $550 million in investments to its two existing assembly plants in the Lansing region, the Lansing Grand River and Lansing delta Township plants.
“This truly is a great day for the Greater Lansing region,” said Tim Daman, president and CEO, LRCC. “The construction of this battery plant will not only create new jobs and investment in our region, but it also secures our long-term future relationship with General Motors. It will firmly establish our region’s world leadership position in the next generation electric vehicle revolution.”
In December, the Lansing City Council and Delta Township Board of Trustees took an important step by voting to amend their 425 agreement – a legal move needed to allow the project to move forward. The state legislature also adopted a bill package that creates incentives to land significant jobs and investment projects, including those in EV/battery and semiconductor industries.
“The fact that we are on the cusp of this historic investment by GM is a testament to the willingness of our local and state leaders to join together in a collaborative, bipartisan fashion to make this happen,” said Daman. “We are most grateful for the work of Lansing Mayor Andy Schor, Lansing City Council, the Delta Township Board of Trustees and Capitol Caucus in the state legislature for their outstanding leadership on this issue.”
GM is one of 13 LRCC Leadership Circle members, a group of investors that are proven business and community leaders.