WMBFNews.com | Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC | News, Weather, SportsBoeing could generate jobs in Myrtle Beach, Charleston
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MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) – If Boeing chooses Charleston as its location for another production line for 787 commercial jets, not only will they need 900 workers in Charleston, they could need thousands more, possibly in Myrtle Beach.
"This will put South Carolina on the map worldwide," said Hugh Owens, president and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation.
Owens says not only will South Carolina be put on the worldwide map, but maybe even Myrtle Beach.
"It means that in addition to those construction jobs that will be generated immediately to build that facility, some 900 people will be working directly for Boeing in the Charleston area," said Owens.
He says they'd be assembling the parts in Charleston, but those parts could be manufactured further north along the Grand Strand.
Owens also says Charleston already has 2,500 Boeing employees who build fuselages. Since South Carolina is a right to work state, that means Boeing won't have to deal with the cost and limitations of unions, which are present in the state of Washington.
"The indications are that Charleston has demonstrated a very strong case for choosing them as a location,” said Owens.
Owens says he got that impression after meeting with about 20 Boeing suppliers in Florida.
He says the decision will be made in a few weeks, but because it's such a big project, certain jobs won't be created for at least two years.
"The long range impact is for those people who are either currently engaged in the aviation industry or would like to pursue the aviation industry as a career," said Owens.
If Boeing makes the move to Charleston, the excess capacity in certain parts of the Myrtle Beach International Airport could be used as a testing sight for the jets. Ownes also suggests component manufacturers could move into the Grand Strand to make the parts.
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