The (Moline) Dispatch reports the Bi-State Regional Commission sent a letter to the two states' governors asking them to promote a regional bid for the multibillion dollar assembly plant.The letter was signed by community leaders in Moline, Rock Island, East Moline and Rock Island County in Illinois along with Iowa officials from Davenport, Bettendorf and Scott County.Davenport Mayor Bill Gluba admits the bid's a "long shot."Illinois is one of 22 states vying for the factory. A Boeing spokesman says the Chicago-based aerospace company is narrowing the list of potential location. A final section is expected in early 2014.
The Quad-Cities officially threw its hat into the ring Monday for a new Boeing manufacturing plant that would provide 8,500 jobs.
The Bi-State Regional Commission sent a letter Monday to Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad asking them to join together to, "submit, at least, a letter indicating a bi-state effort is possible, with a fully detailed proposal to follow."
The letter was signed by Davenport Mayor Bill Gluba, Bettendorf Mayor Bob Gallagher, Rock Island Mayor Dennis Pauley, Moline Mayor Scott Raes, East Moline Mayor John Thodos, Rock Island County Board Chairman Phil Banaszek, and Scott County Board Chairman Larry Minard.
Mayor Gluba came up with the idea for the letter, which he said was written by city administrator Craig Malin ….
"Our bi-state region brings the home state of Boeing headquarters (Illinois) and an AAA bond rated state (Iowa) jointly to the competition. In addition, a principal supplier of Boeing, Alcoa, is added to the mix, along with a regional workforce with cutting edge skills and a long history of world class manufacturing."
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