TCAA Celebrates Aerospace Park Site Launch
Blountville, Tenn. – Community leaders were on site today at Tri-Cities Airport to officially launch the Aerospace Park site as ready for future vertical development.
Site construction is substantially complete with only finishing grading, final topsoil and seeding along with site access roadway construction to be completed by summer 2021. The majority of the site is build-ready and open for business even as the final construction will be coming to a close.
Tri-Cities Airport Authority (TCAA) staff continue to heavily promote the availability of the site to target industries. The completion of each phase of Aerospace Park development has offered additional promotional benefits and recognition for the site.
“Aerospace Park would not be in this final stage of development if it were not for the support of our funding partners,” said TCAA Chairman Dr. Jon Smith. “It has been an honor to be a part of the cities and counties coming together on this significant, regional economic development project.”
TCAA Executive Director Gene Cossey added his appreciation to the Aerospace Park funding partners. “The support from our community, state and federal partners has been very important to us,” said Cossey. “That support has enabled us to complete the site and have a great product to market within the aerospace industry.”
Once the site access roads, finished grading work, topsoil and seeding is complete in summer 2021, TCAA will seek certification of the 160-acre site through the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s Select Tennessee Site program.
Site completion and certification will bolster Aerospace Park marketing efforts, according to Mark Canty, TCAA Director of Business Development. “Expanding the footprint of the current certified acreage of Aerospace Park will allow us to more effectively promote the site, compete for large projects, and increase our ability to bring quality jobs to Northeast Tennessee,” said Canty.
The TCAA’s target industries for Aerospace Park include maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations, completion and delivery centers, passenger to freighter conversion centers, and manufacturers.
According to Canty, aircraft manufacturing and MRO operations are projected to experience significant growth over the coming decade, and recent trends have seen a high percentage of domestic growth occurring in the southeastern United States.