JEFFERSON CITY — Gov. Mike Parson on Thursday said securing Boeing’s commitment for an expansion in St. Louis County would be a “big deal” for the state, and hinted at possible state support for the plan.
“We’ve been in contact with Boeing and, you know, we’re going to see where that all ends up,” Parson told the Post-Dispatch on Thursday. “It’s pretty early.”
Said Parson, “I know there’s conversations with that and we kind of understand what Boeing’s wanting to do.”
The aerospace giant is considering a nearly $2 billion investment in St. Louis County that could bring in 500 jobs as the company looks to build the next generation of U.S. fighter jets.
The project is also expected to support the company’s roughly 16,000 current employees in the St. Louis region, the company has said, according to St. Louis County Executive Sam Page.
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The expansion envisions 1 million square feet of space next to St. Louis Lambert International Airport, but officials has been vague on details, saying the project involved advanced manufacturing production facilities for “future franchise programs.”
Airport Director Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge said Lambert has been working with Boeing on a lease of airport-owned land for the project and expects to submit it to the city Airport Commission for approval next week. She declined to discuss any details.
The St. Louis County Council has already considered offering incentives for the project: half off the company’s real and personal property taxes on the project — or about $10.8 million annually for 10 years — in exchange for the new jobs and investment.
“We’ve worked with Boeing ever since this administration’s been there for all their projects,” Parson said. “So that’s a major project.
“If you can land that project and get it here in Missouri … if they get that it’s a big deal for our state,” the Republican governor said.
The Department of Economic Development handles business matters. The agency doesn’t typically comment on ongoing negotiations.
Boeing is no stranger to seeking local and state incentives in exchange for investments.
It was in line for $229 million in the coming years from Missouri for increasing its workforce to 16,500 in the St. Louis region, the Post-Dispatch reported in 2019.
Mark Schlinkmann of the Post-Dispatch staff contributed to this report
