United Airlines Breaks Ground on New Hangar Facility at Tampa International Airport
June 6, 2019
United Airlines broke ground on a state-of-the-art maintenance hangar facility at Tampa International Airport (TPA) that will enable the airline to provide exceptional service for its Boeing 737 series of aircraft. The construction of the new hangar building is a $33 million investment that will create 40 new high-wage aircraft maintenance technician positions once complete.
“Our continued investment emphasizes our commitment to our customers in Tampa and throughout our worldwide network. This modern, world-class facility will create more than 125 jobs in Tampa during the construction process in addition to the 40 new United employees once it is completed,” said Don Wright, vice president of maintenance operations at United. “This new facility will enable us to schedule more routine line maintenance work in Tampa, which in turn allows our hubs to focus more on keeping airplanes in service to improve reliability.”
The new hangar facility, consisting of two narrow-body bays, will provide approximately 66,000 square feet of hangar space and an additional 17,620 square feet of office and shop space. It will incorporate LEED and Florida Green Building Coalition sustainable design elements including increased energy efficiency, reduced water consumption, light pollution reduction and improved indoor air quality.
“This project is a huge win for Tampa and further evidence that our city can support the operations of some of the world’s largest corporations,” said Mayor Jane Castor, City of Tampa. “Tampa’s business advantages, including its strong public-private partnerships, access to a high-quality workforce, and a high quality of life for employees to enjoy, helped solidify United’s expansion at TPA.”
The project was made possible through strong partnerships between Enterprise Florida, the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation, Hillsborough County, City of Tampa, Tampa International Airport, and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
“We’re thrilled United has chosen our community for the construction of this state-of-the-art facility,” said Les Miller, Chairman of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners. “We’re grateful for United’s continued investment in Hillsborough County and the addition of dozens of new high-wage jobs for our residents.”
United is also investing in additional maintenance facilities at key airports around the country. United and Los Angeles World Airports recently broke ground on a state-of-the-art Technical Operations Center at Los Angeles International Airport that will enable the airline to provide exceptional service for all of its aircraft fleets. The airline is also continuing construction on an expansive new technical operations center at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, which consolidates the airline’s maintenance operations in a complex that provides greater efficiency and flexibility. United is also moving into a new hangar in Portland, Oregon and working with the City of Chicago to create a new hangar as part of the O’Hare Modernization Program.
“This new facility will have a significant economic impact on our community for years to come and will help us attract other major corporations to the Tampa Bay market,” said Craig Richard, President and CEO of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation. “We are pleased to be part of this project, and we’re confident United will enjoy continued success in Tampa and at TPA.”
“Economic development is a team sport” – Craig J. Richard, CEO and President of the @TampaEDC #FlyTPA #TampaBiz #EconDev pic.twitter.com/iM0V1ymAyj
— Tampa EDC (@TampaEDC) June 5, 2019
