Could GM plant sale attract jobs?
Could GM plant sale attract jobs?
By Ja’Rena Lunsford
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Published: March 12, 2008
More jobs may be an attractive byproduct if voters approve a bond issue allowing Oklahoma County to buy the former General Motors plant.
The jobs could be filled both by Tinker Air Force Base employees as well as the private sector, officials said Tuesday. Oklahoma County commissioners hope voters will pass a bond issue that will allow the county to buy the GM site for $55 million and lease the space to Tinker. It's been more than two years since the last GM vehicle rolled off the assembly line in Oklahoma City, and city leaders said it's time to put the plant to use — while also helping the state's largest single-site employer. If the deal goes through, Tinker will occupy two-thirds of the 3.8 million-square-foot facility. Robin Roberts, executive vice president of economic development for the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, said the remaining one-third of the building will be open for private-sector companies to locate in the state, which could mean more jobs. City leaders said the GM plant will give Tinker more room to work on maintenance projects such as the C-17 engines and the KC-X tanker. The new space also enables Tinker to increase its maintenance work and bring more jobs to the state, said Kirk Humphreys, the chamber's vice chairman of aviation and aerospace. "If we can help Tinker be more efficient, it's going to allow more workload to come here,” Humphreys said.
Lease expected to be long term
Tinker is expected to use the plant to house its maintenance, repair and overhaul services, along with some key components of its software management group.
"Tinker officials have identified work that is currently going on in 69 buildings on their base,” said Ray Vaughn, chairman of the Oklahoma County commissioners. "All of that work in those 69 buildings can be transferred to the GM building.”
Col. Mark Correll, Tinker's installation commander, said the 69 buildings — some of which do not have air conditioning and result in workers taking a 15-minute break every hour to hydrate — will be demolished when Tinker moves into the GM plant. Correll said the Air Force will spend about $3.8 million to build roadways and other infrastructure upgrades.
Although details of the lease have not been finalized and are only being described as "low-cost,” the agreement is expected to be long term, Vaughn said.
General Motors doesn't want the plant sitting empty either, company spokeswoman Janine Fruehan said.
She said GM's redevelopment standpoint is not solely focused on selling an idled factory, but making sure the space will be used in a productive way that supports the community.
From shopping malls to golf courses, Fruehan said the nation's idled GM plants have evolved into various operations.
Fruehan said though GM did not market the Oklahoma City plant as for sale, the company was aware of Tinker's interest.
She said the plant's sale price was determined by GM and Oklahoma County.
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