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Reid: Tesla using gigafactory like a "carrot on a stick"

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says he’s not getting his hopes up about Tesla Motors setting up its multi-billion dollar gigafactory in northern Nevada. 
 

While he’d love to see the electric car marker end up here, Reid says the Silver State may have a tough time outcompeting places with deep pockets like Texas and California.

“This has been held out here kind of like a carrot on a stick for a long time.” 

Reid says Tesla CEO Elon Musk is a genius and, in the end, he’ll go wherever he can get the most for his money. Still, Senator Reid says Nevada’s efforts to be a cheap alternative to Silicon Valley are already paying off with companies like Amazon setting up operations here.

"We should do everything we can to diversify the economy, but all should understand: the number one program in the state of Nevada is leisure time." 
 
Reid says the private sector is flourishing in Nevada, but, because of obstruction in Washington D.C., the lack of public sector jobs continues to hurt the state’s recovery.

Will Stone is a former reporter at KUNR Public Radio.