JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city of Jacksonville is pursuing a project that could inject hundreds of millions of dollars into Cecil Airport.
Its a project the Office of Economic Development (OED) says has been in the works for about a year.
On Monday, the Mayor’s Budget Review Committee gave the “ok” on an incentive plan that will soon head to the City Council for approval in hopes of bringing the project to Jacksonville.
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The proposal involves a company currently searching for a location for its airplane manufacturing and production, with Jacksonville emerging as a contender.
The initiative, dubbed “Project Bluebird,” is under review as the company evaluates several cities for its manufacturing operations. Cecil Airport is being considered.
According to city documents, the company plans to invest over $400 million in capital improvements, all “within the fence” of Cecil Airport.
The project summary indicates that the company can begin operations in an existing hangar and, over the next 15 years, create 1,200 jobs with an average salary of $90,000.
“It’s projects like this that will be a paradigm shift in suppliers and other widget makers that will be needed to accommodate this particular project,” Ed Randolph, executive director at the Office of Economic Development, said. “I think we will attract other aviation groups to do stuff in Jacksonville.”
In September, aerospace company Hermeus broke ground on its new hypersonic testing facility at Cecil.
That project anticipated bringing about 100 full-time jobs by the end of 2028.
The Project Bluebird plan anticipates that 400 jobs could be established by the end of 2031.
While the initial phase involves utilizing an existing hangar, the OED indicates that within five years, the company plans to construct a manufacturing facility on 80 acres. The OED noted that this development would include over $150 million in equipment and finishings, which the city could tax.
The background sent to the Mayor’s Budget Review Committee said that the company has indicated “incentives are a material factor to locate in Jacksonville.”
“It’s very competitive,” Randolph said. “Like a lot of these other projects right now, fingers crossed. We‘re hoping. We’re optimistic it lands here, so there are definitely some other states in localities that are pushing hard to win the project as well.”
Randolph presented to the Mayor’s Budget Review Committee on Monday an incentive plan the OED hopes will entice the company to come to northeast Florida.
The OED is recommending a Recapture Enhanced Value Grant. This grant offers to reimburse 75% of the incremental property taxes over the next 20 years, capped at $20 million.
This would include taxes on various equipment and property valued at around $150 million.
Randolph said the state is also pitching in some incentives to help the bid.
The committee approved the plan, meaning the OED will now file legislation with the City Council to create that agreement between the city and the company, which the OED said they expect to file by the end of the week.
The Jacksonville Aviation Authority board will also meet on Monday at 8:30 a.m. to discuss the plan.
