It’s official. Project Sage is the expansion of the Honda Aircraft Company (HondaJet) facility at Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTIA) to the tune of $55 million in order to manufacture a new larger jet.
At the meeting on Tuesday, July 11, the Greensboro City Council voted 8-0 (City Councilmember Zack Matheny was absent.) to award HondaJet $1,500 in economic incentives for each of the estimated 280 new jobs with an average salary of $88,700 that will be created with the expansion. Those jobs will be eligible for an additional $250 in economic incentives if the new employee resides in one of the designated impact zones or is hired through NC Works Career Centers. The total economic incentive from Greensboro will be about $420,000.
Earlier on Tuesday, the North Carolina Economic Investment Committee had agreed to award $3.9 million in economic incentives to HondaJet and Gov. Roy Cooper had announced that HondaJet was expanding in Greensboro.
At the City Council meeting, Mayor Nancy Vaughan noted that the $3.9 million from the state was contingent on the local governments also awarding incentives. The Guilford County Board of Commissioners is expected to approve $713,000 in economic incentives to HondaJet at its meeting on Thursday, July 13.
Both the state of North Carolina and Guilford County expect to receive increased tax revenue from HondaJet as a result of its expansion, but since PTIA is not in Greensboro, the City of Greensboro will not.
According to Greensboro Economic Development Manager Marshall Yandle, HondaJet was considering locations in Alabama and South Carolina for this expansion. And although an official announcement from Honda Aircraft Company had not been made, Vaughan and Councilmembers Marikay Abuzuaiter, Yvonne Johnson and Hugh Holston all thanked HondaJet for choosing to expand in Greensboro before voting for the economic incentive.
The expansion by HondaJet is to start manufacturing the new larger HondaJet 2600.
The HondaJet 2600 will have a capacity of up to 11 people and will have a maximum range of 2,600 miles. The current HondaJets have a capacity of four passengers and a pilot.
I think it is cool that Guilford County is becoming a hub for aircraft manufacturing. I guess that is the only plus for having such a slow airport.
Wouldn’t it be nice to see a follow up on articles like this a few years after implementing the gift money to see the number local people actually hired and to see how much they are actually paid.
Wahoo!!!!!! More taxes! Remember to make your vote count.
Low taxes and regulation will encourage economic expansion; not more bribes. With the govt we have here, I don’t see a reason to work or live in this County. A full complement of a competent and motivated GPD would go a long way to help, along with de-politicizing of our government schools.
I can think of but two solutions: a conservative government, or tar and feathers. Throw the bums out!