Rivian turns down $1 million incentive deal to help city

Rivian Automotive is turning down a $1 million incentive that helped entice it to buy the former Mitsubishi factory in central Illinois, saying the money would be better used to help the town during the coronavirus pandemic.

"The impact of COVID-19 has reminded us all of the importance of community," Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said in a letter addressed to Normal City Hall. "The main asset of any community is its people, and as resources stretch thinner for every community across the world, we want to do whatever is possible for a pre-production company in our position to help alleviate pressure on our home."

The $1 million grant was part of Normal's December 2016 incentive agreement with Rivian, which bought the plant in 2017 and plans to begin making electric pickups and SUVs there. Normal's city council this month approved $106,074 in property tax abatements for the next fiscal year that also were part of the agreement, The Pantagraph reported.

Rivian has more than 325 full-time employees in Normal and plans to invest more than $750 million in the plant through the end of next year. Its ambitions have been bolstered by major investments from Amazon, Ford Motor Co., Cox Automotive, Blackrock and T. Rowe Price.

"We are proud to tell everyone with whom we interact — our investors, our customers and our employees — that Normal is our manufacturing heart," Scaringe wrote. "The community has watched with excitement and anticipation (and sometimes skepticism) as Rivian has grown into the company we see today. ... Our motto is 'Adventurous Forever,' and we have a special adaptation for Normal: 'Adventurous Together.' We are grateful to be on this adventure together with you."