Grand Junction, Mesa County to Pony Up

Mesa County (CO) is ready to commit $600,000 of its taxpayers' money, to entice Adam Aircraft to move to the lovely Western Slope city of Grand Junction, and set up shop.

A local story says the county expects Adam to eventually have as many as 400 people on its payroll, after production of the centerline-thrust propeller-driven A-500 and recently-announced A-700 twin jet (right) get going.

The Grand Junction Economic Partnership got a unanimous vote from the county's rulers Monday, even though there was the usual concern expressed over when or if the FAA would grant a Type Certificate to the company. For production to run full-blast, Adam would also need a Production Certificate, paper that might be easier to get in a new, purpose-designed factory.

The Mesa County approval matches an identical $600,000 offer approved by the City last week.

Local interest in Grand Junction is perhaps spurred by the local Alpine Bank's $5 million loan to Adam, just $4 million of which is guaranteed by the nation's taxpayers, in the form of a U.S. Department of Agriculture program for rural economic development. "With the $1.2 million from the City and County [on top of the DoA loan guarantee], Alpine seems to be covered all the way, whether Adam is a success or not," observed one cynical opponent of the deal.

Regardless the local machinations, Denver-area Adam hasn't said whether it's prepared to move; or, if so, when; or even, to where, saying only that a move to Grand Junction is "a real possibility."

FMI: www.adamaircraft.com