Nearly $2 billion wasn’t enough

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State and local officials, determined to win the competition for a semiconductor plant that will employ 1,800, offered Samsung $1.89 million in subsidies to locate the factory in Genesee County, just north of Batavia.

The chief competition, two sites in and around Austin, Texas, dangled large subsidy packages, as well. But at $1 billion each, they fell way short of what New York was offering.

Nevertheless, Samsung opted for Taylor, Texas.

Why did the company bypass Genesee County?

It’s unclear, but the remote location could have been a factor. How remote? It was going to cost $200 million just to bring utilities to the site, located in an industrial park that is mostly fields.

New York’s subsidy package, if it has been accepted, would have been the second-largest in state history, double that of what Tesla received to build its plant in South Buffalo.