A new, $13 million aviation park opened June 3 at Elizabeth City, North Carolina, where one of the fastest-growing technology companies in the nation is expected to build four new hangars and create 600 jobs over the next five years, according to a June 7 report in The Virginian-Pilot newspaper. Eventually, the park is expected to encompass 180 acres and provide as many as 2,000 jobs.
For now, a long taxiway passes through a 63-acre open field across from the U.S. Coast Guard base and a complex that includes the Elizabeth City municipal airport and two hangars of DRS Technical Services. At the opening ceremony, about 100 people heard local and state officials speak as a C-130, one of the aircraft serviced by DRS, sat on the taxiway behind the podium. Two other aviation companies have expressed interest in locating within the 77 acres planned for the second phase, the newspaper reported.
In addition, Elizabeth City State University plans to build a facility there in 2010 to house its aviation school. College of the Albemarle plans to offer two-year programs in airframe maintenance and power plant maintenance that could help fill DRS jobs.
To read the full story: http://hamptonroads.com/2009/06/first-phase-elizabeth-city-airpark-opens
