Two Florida Counties Play "Can You Top This?"
In an era when GA sales have been
slumping overall and commercial air traffic is... well, we're still
trying to figure that one out (changing is a safe word that comes
to mind), the idea of local governments fighting over a GA plant is
kind of refreshing.
That's just what's going on in southern Florida, where
Miami-Dade County and Collier County are duking it out for the hand
of Safire Aircraft. At stake is a final assembly plant and the
600-700 jobs that go with it.
Shopping for a manufacturing base is fast becoming a trend in
aviation -- witness, for instance, Boeing's fabled hunts for a
corporate headquarters and then for a home to the 7E7 line. And
Callihan says local governments are more than happy to ante up.
In fact, the company at first said it would stay at Opa-Locka.
But, perhaps on the coattails of Boeing's success in shopping
around, Safire began considering other sites.
"These negotiations, they take a lot of different directions and
perhaps at some point there were some issues they weren't totally
satisfied with and they decided to explore other options," said
Miami Mayor Alex Pinelas.
"It's an exciting program," said Safire spokesman Clayton
Callihan, in an interview with Aero-News. "These small,
new-generation light jets will change the way people travel. It's
an exciting prospect (for local governments) to host this paradigm
change."
Like Collier County, Miami-Dade is offering a mixed bag of local
and state incentives, many of them tax breaks. Miami's package
comes to $19.8 million dollars. Most of the local contribution
would cover site preparation at Opa-Locka.
"They have responded to our latest
proposals," said Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Pinelas. "Everything is
positive at this point, and we are confident they are going to
remain here."
Collier's package includes free rent at the Immokalee Regional
Airport and a $1 million grant from the county's new Job Investment
Creation Program. Still, the Collier County offer stands at about
$17.4 million.
"I think we've put together a very good proposal," said Tammie
Nemecek, executive director of the Collier EDC, in an interview
with the Naples Daily News. "I think the Board of County
Commissioners' support and the support from the county manager have
been over and above our expectations."
"We're looking at 12 sites in four different states," said
Callihan. "We should have a short list by the end of the month and
make our final decision in early April." Local and state
governments at all 12 sites are offering some measure of
incentives, hoping to lure the Safire plant. The company is
currently headquartered at Opa-Locka Airport in Miami-Dade
County.