When Elon Musk pitched Austin on Tesla, he promised his massive car factory would be accompanied by an equally huge investment in the local environment.
Now, five years later, plans appear to be taking shape.
According to a report submitted this week to county economic development officials, Tesla’s “riverfront eco-park” will include hike and bike trails, a waterfront and a Tesla expo and sports complex with soccer, baseball, basketball and tennis facilities. The report estimates 20,000 households will “benefit” from “ecological paradise” in southeast Austin.
There is no timeline laying out the project’s completion. Bloomberg first reported the new details about the park.
The report, which The Texas Newsroom obtained through a public information request, also includes details about recent injuries and deaths at the Tesla gigafactory. There were more than 1,100 reported injuries in 2024 and one death.
Victor Joe Gomez Sr., an electrician, died at the Tesla manufacturing plant on Aug. 1. Tesla was recently fined nearly $50,000 for safety violations after he died.
The company’s investment in the gigafactory tops $5 billion, the report added. In 2024, the company created more jobs across every category than planned, it reported, with 21,191 people working for the company and about half of them living in the county.
Copyright 2025 KUT 90.5