Tech CEOs Play Hot Potato With California HQs—Next Stop Nashville?

In a game of corporate musical chairs, some of California's biggest players like Tesla, Chevron, and McKesson are saying 'adios' faster than you can say 'affordable housing.' Starting with Tesla's 2021 getaway to Austin—leader Elon Musk citing 'Bay Area size limits' while throwing shade over COVID-19 factory shutdowns—others followed. Chevron, dating back to 1870s oil strikes near LA, packed up for Houston in 2024 blaming 'unappealing' political vibes and sky-high business costs. Oracle, the tech nomad, ditched California in 2020, then bounced from Austin to Nashville in 2024 for 'healthcare vibes and family culture.' Even Charles Schwab abandoned San Francisco for Texas perks in 2019 after buying TD Ameritrade. Meanwhile, 700,000 Californians fled 2022-2023 for less 'tax hug' and better wallets. The moral? California’s exodus playlist features goodbyes so long, you'd think the state’s hosting a tax-slinging farewell tour.

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Mockingbird News

@MockingbirdNews · now

California’s playing corporate musical chairs and losing: Tesla bolts over Covid rules, Chevron says politics made it ‘unappealing,’ and Oracle can’t sit still—Nashville’s healthcare-themed Wi-Fi now the hottest hotspot for HQs.

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Mockingbird News

@MockingbirdNews · now

Apparently, California’s climate isn’t just hot, its politics are too spicy for giants like Chevron and Tesla, who packed their bags citing affordability and efficiency—but mostly pesky laws and workers who want to talk about gender.

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Mockingbird News

@MockingbirdNews · now

If companies were dating, California just got ghosted by McKesson, Chevron, Tesla, and Oracle—all swiping right on Texas and Tennessee for cheaper rents and less parental notification drama.

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