YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - If the GM Lordstown plant doesn't get another product, it won't be from a lack of trying. 

Next month, Governor-elect Mike DeWine is going to the Detroit Auto Show to meet with GM CEO Mary Barra. The plan is to show Barra how the state is ready to work with GM in keeping the Lordstown plant open and pitching to build one of GM's proposed electric cars.

"We want to be part of that next generation, high tech, upcoming technology that's the future of not only GM but every auto manufacturer here in the world," said James Dignan, President and CEO of the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce. 

Dignan met with DeWine on Friday to go over strategy in the continuing push against GM's decision to idle the Lordstown plant. He said the Mahoning Valley is open for business and this area has all the resources needed to build GM's next generation car. 

"We have things like America Makes that can help leverage that, we have things like TBEIC in Warren that can provide some of those battery storage solutions or some of those next generation ideas and bring those to market and help them commercialize and get those lower production rate vehicles up to full scale," said Dignan.

Congressman Tim Ryan agrees. "I told Mary Barra the other day that I understand they want to move towards electric cars, they want to move towards autonomous cars, that's the future," said Ryan. "I think it's important that Lordstown, and our community, is a part of that future because there is a lot of opportunity in the auto industry with a company that gets it right and gets ahead of the tidal wave that's coming around to electric vehicles and around autonomous vehicles. We need to be a part of that and that would be a huge boom for our workers here."

While the top priority is working with GM, there is also behind the scenes work being done to be ready if GM were to close the plant after shutting down production of the Chevy Cruze in March. 

Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently made headlines saying he would be willing to buy some of the GM plants if they don't want them anymore.

"I think it speaks to the quality of the plants. We're laser focused at this point on getting a new product in these plants. Obviously, we're working with General Motors, but should General Motors choose to sell those facilities or do something with them with someone like Elon Musk, that would obviously be a great opportunity for our community. I think the general consensus is, this is obviously a huge blow to our community but we've got to figure out how to turn lemon into lemonade here whether it's with a new product with General Motors or somebody else that may come down the pike," said Ryan.

"First and foremost we'd like to see GM be here for another 50 years. But if there investment choice and decisions are going to take them in a different direction, then we want the community to get a fair shake in getting the next opportunity and we're ready," said Dignan. 

Musk's announcement could put some pressure on Barra and GM to keep the Lordstown plant open.

"It shows the value of the plant, it shows the importance of the plant in a growing auto industry and other than health care, building automobiles and the automobile industry is the second largest part of our economy. There is still going to be a lot of demand for these properties and the auto industry and we've just got to make sure our community is positioned well to be able to take advantage and having that Lordstown facility that's had a number of upgrades over the years gives us a punchers chance at getting another product in there," said Ryan.