Tesla is preparing to turn its vision of an “ecological paradise” at Giga Texas into a reality, unveiling official plans and renderings that detail an ambitious public green space surrounding its Gigafactory in Austin. Submitted to Travis County’s economic development office, the proposal outlines a sprawling riverfront park aimed at benefiting roughly 20,000 nearby households.
The project, dubbed the GFTX Riverfront Eco-Park, will include 25 miles (40km) of walking trails and 18 miles (29km) of biking paths, interlacing the natural landscape with outdoor recreational opportunities. A highlight of the plan is a Tesla expo and sports complex, which will feature facilities for soccer, baseball, basketball, and tennis.
In addition to athletic amenities, the park will include a riverfront boardwalk, fishing zones, picnic areas, a children’s playground, and a community orchard.
Tesla’s plans call for 3.78 miles (6.08km) of direct Colorado River access and 290 acres of preserved waterfront green space, making the area accessible not only to employees of Giga Texas but also to the broader community. The automaker has committed to planting 3,000 trees annually and maintaining eight designated wildlife corridors, positioning the park as both a recreational hub and a potential urban ecology anchor.
Tesla’s investment in Giga Texas continues to expand. The facility—already representing over $5 billion in capital investment—employed more than 21,000 people in 2024. At full scale, the factory is expected to support up to 60,000 workers.
Though a timeline for the eco-park’s completion has not been announced, the detailed renderings mark a major step forward in Musk’s 2020 promise to build more than just a factory in Austin. Whether it becomes a lasting ecological haven or just another corporate-backed public space remains to be seen—but for now, the groundwork is being laid along the banks of the Colorado River.
