Gov. Rick Scott congratulated the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Friday for awarding Jacksonville Aviation Authority $3.5 million for infrastructure development. The money allows Flightstar Aircraft Services to expand operations at Cecil Airport.
Flightstar is a leading provider of services to the commercial aviation industry.
The $3.5 million Economic Development Transportation project grant supplements FDOTs previous commitment of $10 million in Strategic Intermodal System (SIS) funding for the project. The remaining $17 million is provided by Flightstar and the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, for a total of $30.5 million.
Scott said, Todays announcement is another example of the targeted investments that we are making to help Floridas economy continue to grow."
Scott claims that since December 2010, Florida has created nearly 200,000 private-sector jobs and its unemployment rate is at a record low."Our economy is clearly back on track because of the policies that we have put into place over the last two years," the governor said. "I applaud FDOT for their commitment to economic development.
In December 2012, Flightstar Aircraft Services announced it would remain at Cecil Airport in Jacksonville and expand its existing aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul facility. Flightstar currently has 700 permanent employees and over 200 contractors. With the new hangar, the company will be adding approximately 300 permanent jobs and 100 contractors.
The $30.5 million project includes the construction of a new 113,000-square-foot hangar. Office space will occupy 10,000 square feet and warehousing and shop space will occupy 32,000 square feet. Additional improvements to taxiways, aprons and related transportation facilities will allow Flightstar to meet its expansion needs while remaining at Cecil Airport, a Florida spaceport facility.
Said FDOT Secretary Ananth Prasad, Under Governor Scotts leadership, aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul were identified as a targeted industry. The Florida Department of Transportation is pleased with our partnership with the Jacksonville Aviation Authority that has led to Flightstar Aircraft Services' decision to remain a Florida-based aviation company and expand their workforce at Cecil Airport.
