Ready for takeoff: Link touts new focus on aerospace jobs Columbus Lowndes Development Link CEO Max Higgins explains efforts to attract international aerospace companies during a presentation Friday. Photo by: Kelly Tippett
The land is available. The first tenants are established. Political support is present at the local and state levels.
Bring on the jobs.
The Columbus-Lowndes Development Link revealed its master plan today for the GTR Global Industrial Aerospace Park, a sweeping expansion of the existing industrial park located on Highway 82.
The plan, according to Link CEO Joe Higgins, is to use the site's existing resources (access to Golden Triangle Regional Airport, railways, highways and the Tennessee Tombigbee River) to attract more companies in the expanding aerospace industry. American Eurocopter, Stark Aerospace and Aurora Flight Sciences already occupy some of the site's 2,500 publicly owned acres and employ 600 workers.
But aerospace isn't the only fish in the sea.
The site also houses a PACCAR engine plant and a Severstal Steel mini-mill. And Higgins says traditional industries will be readily considered.
The signatures of more than 20 local and state politicians, education and economic leaders, many of whom were present at today's ceremony at East Mississippi Community College in Mayhew, serve as testament to the support being thrown behind the Global Industrial Aerospace Park.
Rep. Travis Childers and Sen. Thad Cochran have pledged their support at the federal level while locals from surrounding counties, cities and schools promised regional support.
"The capabilities offered by our universities and community colleges add strength to this region's efforts to attract new business and industry," said Dr. Mark Keenum, President of Mississippi State University. "Mississippi State University is proud to be part of this team, and we look forward to working with the alliance to enhance economic opportunities and improve the quality of life for the people we serve."
Higgins says $100 million worth of infrastructure work has already gone into the site, and more is on the way. New roads, water pipes and treatment plants, and electrical systems are part of a $150 million plan for expansion. Golden Triangle Regional Airport has plans to expand its runway to 8,000 feet to handle larger aircraft.
"Fifty-nine airports in the Southeast have 8,000-foot-plus runways. But how many have 1,000 acres (of land) adjacent and fully developed?" said Higgins, explaining why international companies would choose to locate at the Global Industrial Aerospace Park.
Enough unused space is available between the wetland areas of the aerospace side of the park to build two 2 million-square-foot buildings west of GTR's east-west runway, with ample room left over along the park's southwest corner for another 4 million square feet of development. Millions more square feet are available in the northwest corner.
TD | 10/20/2009 10:41:00 PMmark as inappropriate I'm glad there is a master plan to bring new jobs to the area.
Now where the dickens is the master plan to bring these new hotels and restaurants to Columbus? Has anyone seen that?
Where is is the master plan to make the CMSD competitive with the LCSD or Starkville so people will want to live in Columbus?
Where are all the secondary and tietery businesses (jobs) created by the SeverStal (or whatever they call themselves now), Paccar and American Eurpcopter?
Where is the master plan to make Columbus gas prices competitive with the rest of the state?
File: Columbus Lowndes Development Link CEO Max Higgins explains efforts to attract international aerospace companies during a presentation Friday.