Elon Musk is now a real industry giant.
Tulsa has changed the 75-foot-tall Golden Driller statue monument to be similar to Tesla’s CEO in an effort to convince him to open a new factory in the metropolitan city of Oklahoma.
The statue, which is the fifth highest on the US continent and stands outside the Tulsa Expo Center, was built in the 1960s as a tribute to the state petroleum industry. His tumultuous reshuffle included replacing the “Tulsa” belt buckle with the one that read “Tesla,” by adding the car manufacturer’s logo to his chest and painting his face to resemble Musk.
Tesla is currently looking for locations for a second US automotive manufacturing facility to build Model Y utility vehicles and upcoming Cybertruck pickups, and has reportedly narrowed its choices between Tulsa and Austin, Texas.
Wednesday’s action was carried out by the owner of Tesla from Oklahoma, and supported by Mayor G.T. Bynum
Bynum was unable to discuss the details of each ongoing conversation with the automaker but was told Tulsa World that the effort wasn’t about making Austin look bad.
“I think it’s about convincing people that Tulsa is the most suitable for Tesla, and I truly believe that,” Bynum said.
Musk hasn’t commented on Tulsa’s unique sales promotion.
