<P> In November 2009, Toyota's head of U.S. sales took calls from autoworkers, saying that though it has been a difficult decision to shut down the plant, "the economics of having a plant in California so far away from the supplier lines" in the Midwest "just doesn't make business sense" for Toyota to continue running the NUMMI plant . Meanwhile, autoworkers prepared for the shut down by refreshing skills and planning for career transitions . Federal, state, and local officials also participated in the transition discussions . In March 2010, 90% of the 3,700 UAW workers at the plant approved a $281 million severance package averaging $54,000, paid by Toyota to the plant's 4,700 employees . </P> <P> In January 2010, a possible use of the land was proposed: a new stadium for home games of the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball . It is close to the proposed site of Cisco Field, which was never formally approved . </P> <P> State officials crafted sales tax exemption on new factory equipment to preserve Nummi . A regional committee was formed in February 2010 to investigate the closure of the plant, and the facility was appraised while operating . </P> <P> On March 10, 2010, Aurica Motors announced a proposal to save the NUMMI automotive plant and the jobs associated with it . The company said that it intended to raise investment capital and garner federal economic stimulus funds to help retrain the workers and retool the facility for production of electrical vehicles . </P>

Toyota's first automobile manufacturing plant had a capacity of