Click here to play video

Louisiana's economic development chief says he is "cautiously optimistic" that General Motors will consider a new vehicle line for its Shreveport assembly plant, which has been hit by more than 2,000 job cuts.

But Stephen Moret, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, said in an interview Wednesday that he's "not talking about next month. I'm talking about over the next year or two."

Not long ago, the plant employed nearly 3,000 people, but high gasoline prices, combined with a contracting economy, largely wiped out consumer demand for the mid-size pickup trucks and Hummer vehicles assembled in Shreveport. Fewer than 800 now work at the plant.

Further clouding the plant's future is GM's recent decision to put its Hummer brand up for sale.