Legislation aimed at clearing the way for Bombardier Aerospace of Montreal to give serious consideration to opening a $375-million passenger jet assembly plant neatr Kansas City International Airport is on the fast-track to General Assembly approval following hearings in both the House and Senate Economic Development Committees.
The proposal, which has bipartisan support, would provide incentives to the Canadian company through an amendment to the Enhanced Enterprise Zone tax credit program to expand economic development opportunities in the state. Bombardier would use the KCI facility to assemble its new C Series of 110 and 130 seat passenger jets that are considered more environmentally friendly than current jets on the market.
This plant would create up to 2,100 new jobs paying an average wage of $55,000 annually, with health benefits. Economic Development Director Greg Steinhoff says this is positive for the state in that Bombardier would repay the tax credits it receives as planes are built, with the proposal based on an economic venture that would last 22 years. Steinhoff says once the facility is running at peak performance, production would reach about one plane per day.
Steinhoff says KCI’s main competition in this project is a Canadian interest at Mirabel Airport near Montreal. He says legislative approval of this idea would give Missouri what he believes could be a competitive edge in the process.
