to build a massive semiconductor fabrication facility in Central New York, rather than Lockhart south of Austin.
He said he and other leaders were disappointed, likening it to being the"bridesmaid instead of the bride." Lockhart has a population of roughly 15,000 and is known for its legendary barbecue spots, small-town charm and picturesque county courthouse. The Micron factory had been seen as a potentially transformative project — although extensive growth is still expected in this corner of Central Texas, without or without a chip plant.
Micron had publicly acknowledged it was looking to invest more in the United States, ramping up that promise following the summer passage of the federal CHIPS and Science Act, which provides $52 billion in incentives to chipmakers. The company had said it aims to invest more than $150 billion globally in manufacturing and research and development in the coming decade, including $40 billion in the United States.
In the incentive applications, which were filed Aug. 9, the company lamented Texas' high property taxes and called the appraised value limitation"the determining factor" in whether it will put the fabrication plants, or fabs, in Texas. It said that if Micron did not receive the limitation, the project could land in another state or outside the U.S. in Singapore or Japan.