WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | Boeing breaks ground for historic plant

Boeing breaks ground for historic plant

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC (WIS) - Work has officially started on building Boeing's $750 million aircraft assembly plant in South Carolina - the largest industrial investment in state history.

Leaders from across the Lowcountry and the state gathered in North Charleston Friday morning to break ground at the site near the Charleston International Airport where Boeing will assemble its 787 jetliners.

The company last month chose North Charleston over Everett, Washington, for the assembly plant, but Boeing's commercial airplane division president Jim Albaugh says the new plant should still move jobs to Washington, too.

The new plant is expected to create 3,800 jobs within seven years, and construction will mean another 2,000 jobs.

Boeing received an incentive package including up to $170 million in low-interest construction loans, plus sales tax exemptions for computers, material and fuel used in test flights.

"This groundbreaking sets into motion what we believe will be revolutionary and indeed generational changes to our state's economy," said Gov. Mark Sanford in a written statement.

Boeing is not just good for business; the company is also good for Southern politics.

Politicians were basking in the glory of bringing Boeing to North Charleston Friday morning at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new assembly plant. 

Several leaders described Boeing's arrival as transformational.

"Boeing could have gone anywhere in the nation and the world, [but] they chose here. Now we've got to deliver," said U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican.

Boeing will open up the flood gates, Graham said. He said it's one the biggest things to happen in the state since he's been in politics and compared their arrival to the construction of the BMW plant in the upstate.

"It's BMW on steroids," Graham said. "You don't just assemble planes, you manufacture planes. And it's going to open the door to more business in the aviation industry."

"This puts us in the game from the air," said House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, who said South Carolina is already competitive on other business fronts.

Clyburn admits Boeing's arrival is badly needed in a state that's suffering from 12 percent unemployment.

"We're going to really build on what we have here today. When you're in a slump, you have to get that first hit. Today we have gotten that first hit and I really believe we're out of this slump," Clyburn said.

Sanford said credit belongs to workers at the local Boeing plant. "If these folks were not doing the great job that they were doing in regards to producing a world class product currently, I don't think we'd be here," Sanford said.

"It's incredible to be part of that group," said State House Speaker Bobby Harrell. "To see this come to fruition and realize that this thing probably won't mean 3,800 jobs. It's probably more like an excess of 10,000 before all is said and done."

Harrell said the state now has to make sure construction and Boeing operations run smoothly because a smooth transition can show the rest of the world South Carolina is a great place for businesses to grow.

Copyright 2009 WIS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. AP and WCSC contributed to this report.