Hill Country headquarters revs up

MARBLE FALLS, Texas (KXAN) - Ronn Motors Company , the maker of a luxury sports car, is opening a new facility in the Hill Country.

Company CEO Ronn Maxwell announced Wednesday that the $250,000 hybrid, known as the Scorpion, will now be manufactured in Marble Falls.

"It wasn't about money, it wasn't about tax incentives, it was really about ...it's easier to do business here," explained Maxwell, who grew up in Texas.  "They treat you much nicer here."

Maxwell says there are incentives behind his business--which is known for creating the eco-friendly Scorpion HX sports car---moving from its smaller facility in Horseshoe Bay to a 76,500 square foot building on Colt Circle.

The Economic Development Corporation recently purchased the building that sits on 7.5 acres.

"The EDC is doing all of the bringing the building up to city code, which is needs a lot of work to meet the city code," said Nona Fox, EDC's president.

Fox says the EDC is not charging Maxwell rent for the first six months and did not disclose how much he would pay in rent once it's due.

The money to redesign the facility, which will include executive offices and an assembly plant, is coming out of Maxwell's pocket.

This company is doing more than bringing Scorpion cars to the area, they're also driving in more jobs.

Maxwell is guaranteeing the city he'll hire and train workers on a ramped up system.

He says he'll hire 20 workers within the first year but hopes to have 100 on board by the end of 2010.

"Jobs are needed here," said George Russell, mayor of Marble Falls.  "Right now, we have a lot of people that leave Marble Falls going to work in San Antonio, Austin, Waco"

The company hopes to produce cars in limited quantity by the end of next year.

Although they wouldn't tell us the pay range, they did say the lowest pay would be around $14.50 an hour.

Despite critics saying his company will not succeed because hydrogen fuel stations are costly and rare, Maxwell feels his company will succeed.

Maxwell explained that these cars are only hydrogen assisted and do not use fuel cell technology which requires motorists to stop and use hydrogen refueling stations.

Instead, the cars he produces can produce hydrogen on board and in real time.

He added that the company will eventually house a technical college at its new location and students will help develop new green products like a new hybrid and oil.