904 356-JOBS (5627)

904 356-JOBS (5627)

Aerospace giant eyes $400M+ expansion at Jacksonville’s Cecil Airport (Courtesy of the Jacksonville Daily Record) — A major aerospace manufacturer is exploring a $400 million expansion at Jacksonville’s Cecil Airport that could transform the Westside facility into a national hub for aircraft production.

The company, operating under the code name Project Bluebird Company, is seeking to launch a two-phase development that would begin with renovations to an existing hangar at the airport and culminate in a large-scale manufacturing complex spanning 80 acres, according to documents submitted to the Mayor’s Budget Review Committee ahead of its May 13 meeting.

The city’s Office of Economic Development is recommending a Recapture Enhanced Value Grant to support the project, valued at 75% of the incremental property taxes over 20 years, with a cap of $20 million. The public investment would help secure the company’s commitment to Jacksonville over other potential locations under consideration, the documents state.

Two-Phase Expansion Plan

The first phase involves occupying and renovating an existing hangar at Cecil Airport — one of Jacksonville’s key industrial assets with runways capable of supporting large-scale military and civilian aircraft. While city officials have not disclosed the hangar’s current tenant or condition, they note the upgrades would be substantial enough to support short-term production operations.

The second phase, expected to be completed within five years, would include construction of a new aircraft manufacturing facility totaling hundreds of thousands of square feet. The development would take place on approximately 80 acres of airport property and include a capital investment of more than $150 million in taxable equipment and interior improvements alone.

The company’s total investment in the facility is expected to exceed $400 million, all of which would remain “within the fence” of the airport, meaning it would be located on secure property controlled by the Jacksonville Aviation Authority.

High-Wage Job Creation

Project Bluebird anticipates creating 1,200 new jobs in Jacksonville as part of the expansion. These positions are projected to pay an average wage of $90,000, significantly higher than the city’s average annual salary.

The company has also signaled that it intends to work closely with JAA and other regional partners to facilitate workforce development, site permitting and long-term growth.

According to the OED’s term sheet, the city believes the project will have a substantial economic impact on the local aerospace sector and further solidify Cecil Airport’s strategic importance in the aviation and defense ecosystem.

Incentives a ‘Material Factor’

City officials emphasized that the financial incentives under consideration are a “material factor” in the company’s site selection process. The REV grant, Jacksonville’s primary tool for incentivizing capital investment, is performance-based, meaning the company must meet job creation and investment thresholds to receive payment over time.

The Mayor’s Budget Review Committee is expected to review and vote on the incentives proposal at its next scheduled meeting. If approved, the agreement will move to the City Council for final authorization.

The deal would represent one of the largest advanced manufacturing investments in Jacksonville in recent memory and a key milestone in the city’s broader effort to grow its aviation, defense and manufacturing sectors.