VIDEO: SALINAS, Calif.- Green Vehicles is empty and it's doors are locked.
The worst part, Salinas lost $540,000 in the closure and now it needs to find something else to hang its economic hat on.
$240,000 the city paid and $300,000 came from a one-time grant for new tech jobs.
Last year, Salinas mayor Dennis Donohue test drove one of the new green vehicle proto-types.
Salinas was beyond excited when start up company "Green Vehicles" wanted to come to their city, but, "This is disappointing as all get out," said economic development director Jeff Weir.
As of last week, and this blog from the president announcing green vehicles closure, a huge tax base and revitlization of the old Firestone Business Complex, being on the cutting edge of the alternative energy industry and 50 new jobs just to start, turned into a pipe dream.
"And then on top of that all the different suppliers we had them introduce us to brand new battery manufacturing company that's on the cutting edge of technology," said Weir.
But now that business won't come.
Green Vehicles was awarded nearly $2.8 million from Ca Energy Commission but could never get investors to match the funding.
"They were awarded this money from the CEC sixteen or eighteen months ago and it just begun to start to trickle out...The traditional investment community have just draw back from anything having to do with alternative energy. They're just waiting to see who survives."
It won't be Green Vehicles. Now, Salinas must re-evaluate what economic driver they will hang their hat on next.
"We just cannot not do this we have to go out and get new businesses to come, but we have to understand what we are committing ourselves to...We have 4,000 young people graduating every year, new jobs don't happen by themselves you got to participate, you have to help make it happen," said Weir. The city doesn't know if it will be able to re-coup any of the money it lost.
Salinas said it will review everything it did with the company and learn for the experience to be smarter next time.
Poster Comment:
The green government money has dried up, so the alternative energy con men move on to the next commune of eco-rubes.
How come none of the green eco-nuts here, invested THEIR MONEY in this?
