Bidding for Boeing plant isn't waste of Valley's time

It's a long shot that the Boeing Co. will proceed with plans to build a new jet airplane, and it's an even longer shot that Ohio would be the state that wins the national contest to land the project and its 800 to 1,200 jobs.
But since the world's leading aircraft manufacturer is soliciting bids from states for potential sites for the new factory, where the midsize, fuel-efficient jet would be built, Ohio would have been foolish not to enter the sweepstakes.
Likewise, the Mahoning Valley was obliged to submit its application to the Ohio Department of Development. A consultant hired by the aircraft manufacturer contacted development departments around the country, and Ohio officials forwarded the 27-page questionnaire to local agencies, including the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber.
Four areas in Ohio submitted proposals: The Mahoning Valley, Dayton, Toledo and Columbus.
It has taken a lot of staff time at the Youngstown/Warren chamber to compile the information for Boeing, said Reid Dulberger, vice president of the chamber, but "it's worth an all-out effort."
Of course it is.
Why? Because the application will not only show what the Mahoning Valley has to offer with regard to a site for a major factory and a work force that is deeply rooted in manufacturing but will also demonstrate to the state and the nation that this region isn't afraid to compete for high-paying jobs.
Superior rating
With our blinders firmly in place, we contend that the site being offered by the chamber -- the land adjacent to the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport -- is superior to any other in Ohio for two main reasons: It is greenspace in a foreign trade zone (companies derive huge tax benefits by being in the zone); and, Boeing would have access to the runways and other amenities at the airport.
Indeed, the low traffic count stemming from the absence of commercial airlines -- charter flights, some private aviators and the Air Force Reserve are the only users -- makes Youngstown-Warren the ideal facility for test flights. The other airports in the state that have been mentioned are crowded with passenger and freight service.
But even if Boeing decides not to build the 7E7 as the next model to the 777, or the company decides that Ohio is not the ideal state for its new plant, all is not lost.
The work put in by Dulberger and the chamber staff in packaging the Mahoning Valley, with the airport and the adjacent land as the focal point, will pay dividends on the local and state levels. From the standpoint of the chamber, having such a profile in the computer database means that any inquiries about the airport or the land around it is at officials' fingertips. That kind of response does impress potential developers.
Further, the Ohio Department of Development will be able to use the information contained in the Valley's application as a marketing tool. Every time there is an inquiry about airport facilities or potential development sites attached to airports, we would expect state development officials to call up its Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport file.