NetJets Job Creation and Expansion Efforts Moving Forward

For immediate release                           
July 14, 2008
Contact:  Dan Williamson, Mayor’s Office, 645-5300                                     
Cynthia Rickman, Development Department, 645-8795
John Ivanic, City Council, 645-6798

(Columbus)  In his 2008 State of the City speech, Mayor Michael B. Coleman announced that NetJets and FlightSafety have chosen Columbus for a major expansion project investing more than $162 million, creating at least 810 new jobs and retaining 1,931 full-time jobs while FlightSafety will more than double its size, creating the largest flight training facility in the world.  Today, Columbus City Council will consider ordinances1200-2008 and 1147-2008 that will aid in the job creation and expansion efforts.

“NetJets is a part of a larger vision, a new path, a new industry in Columbus to make Columbus a leader in the aviation and aerospace industry, an industry that could result in thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in private investment,” said Mayor Coleman. 

Net Jet plans to add 415,000 square feet to the existing facility at Port Columbus.  FlightSafety will add more than double the number of existing simulators, creating its largest concentration of simulators in the country and attracting large numbers of pilots on a daily basis from outside of Ohio for training.

“This type of partnership between the public and private sectors represents a great opportunity for our local economy,” said Council President Michael C. Mentel. “It is our hope that the agreements with NetJets and FlightSafety—and their commitment to significant investment near Port Columbus—will lead to a whole new sector of growth for Columbus.”

Council will consider ordinance 1200-2008, a 75%/10 year Enterprise Zone tax abatement on real property improvements for NetJets and FlightSafety, a 65%/15 year Jobs Creation Tax Credit and a 35%/7 year Job Growth Incentive for NetJets, and a 65%/15 year Jobs Creation Tax Credit and a 35%/7 year Job Growth Incentive for FlightSafety.
They will also consider ordinance 1147-2008, to accept a $500,000 roadwork grant from the Ohio Department of Development for improvements to Steltzer Road.

The State of Ohio, City of Columbus, Franklin County, and the Columbus Regional Airport Authority have offered a combined growth package that includes workforce development, job credits, tax abatements and other direct assistance valued at $67.6 million, including $37.4 million from the state, $22 million from the city and county, and $8.2 million from the airport. These figures do not include approximately $30 million in incentives related to area site improvements, loans and marketing.

NetJets flies about 700 planes around the world at any given time, and more than 1,000 flights a day are being directed from their operations center in Columbus.  This is a significant operation and a major corporate headquarters.  NetJets has the largest fleet in the Private Aviation Industry, and if it were a commercial airline it would be the 2nd largest fleet in the world, second only to American Airlines.