Release Date: January 4, 2012
Office of Mayor Julián Castro: 207-7083
Boeing relocating Air Force One maintenance to San Antonio
-Port San Antonio operation to grow by at least 300 jobs -
Mayor Julián Castro lauded Wednesday's decision by Boeing to expand its operations at Port San Antonio to include repair work on the prestigious Air Force One fleet that serves the President of the United States.
"Boeing’s investment is a testament to the excellence of the local aerospace workforce and the great business climate we have in San Antonio," Mayor Castro said.
Boeing, the world's largest aerospace company, announced Wednesday that it will close its Defense, Space & Security facility in Wichita, Kan., by the end of 2013. The company's aircraft maintenance, modification and support work will be moved to its facility in San Antonio, while other divisions will be moved to Boeing facilities in Oklahoma City and Puget Sound, Wash.
"In this economy, no city wants to advance at the expense of another city," Mayor Castro said. "But San Antonio has a long, proud aviation history, which includes the successful transition of the now-shuttered Kelly AFB into Port San Antonio where aircraft maintenance continues as it has for decades."
The Boeing announcement comes about three weeks after the Milken Institute ranked San Antonio as the nation's "Best-Performing City" when it comes to job growth and the overall strength of the economy.