GM Acquires Palace of Auburn Hills Plant, Adds 400 Jobs for 2027 Pickups
General Motors purchased its newly built plant on the former Palace of Auburn Hills site on March 26 to support gasoline-powered Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra production beginning in 2027. The facility will create about 400 jobs, undercutting the 1,000 positions originally projected when proposed in April 2023.
1. Acquisition Details
GM exercised an option agreement with developer Schostak Brothers & Company and completed the purchase of the newly constructed Auburn Hills plant on March 26. The site occupies the former footprint of the Palace of Auburn Hills, which was demolished in 2020.
2. Production Plans
Instead of electric vehicles, the facility will supply the nearby Orion Assembly Plant with parts to support gasoline-powered Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra light-duty pickup production slated to start in 2027. Initial EV assembly plans were shifted to Factory Zero in Detroit-Hamtramck.
3. Job Forecast
GM confirmed the Auburn Hills plant will create approximately 400 new jobs once operational, significantly below the 1,000 positions forecast when the project was announced in April 2023. Hiring will align with the 2027 production ramp at Orion.
4. Strategic Context
The acquisition reflects GM’s shift from local EV assembly to centralized EV production at Factory Zero while bolstering gas-powered truck output. This complements ongoing manufacturing at Fort Wayne Assembly and supports GM’s broader light-truck strategy.