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A recent Clinton County success story shows the value of solid, patient groundwork to prepare a site and quick, collaborative efforts to seal a deal when a prospect unexpectedly appears.

In June, Laurentian Aerospace of Quebec announced plans to invest $64 million in a major new aircraft maintenance facility at the Plattsburgh International Airport. The project will create up to 1,500 new jobs over six years.

The deal was closed unusually quickly, said Adore Flynn Kurtz, CEcD, president of The Development Corporation of Clinton County (TDC). About 18 months earlier, TDC and the Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber began collaboration to market aviation assets at airport.

"We wanted to develop a facility that could be a self-supporting industrial airport and, at the same time, attract more than basic commuter service," Kurtz said.

A consultant report highlighted several powerful assets: a long runway, weather that's nearly always conducive to flying, and a relatively quiet airport, which aviation businesses would find appealing. At an aviation trade show in November, the member of the team met a consultant for the Quebec company.

"There were no fireworks then," Kurtz said, but they met the same consultant at a second show in April. "The next day, TDC, the Chamber, Empire State Development, and the state Department of Labor were all in Montreal to meet the prospect."

Although the company was already evaluating sites in Montreal, Winnipeg, and Edmonton, it was intrigued by the features of the Clinton County site, especially a runway that did not need to be extended for wide-body aircraft. A company visit to the airport two weeks later highlighted other assets: convenient access to Montreal; tight security already in place for a U.S. Department of Homeland Security facility; a new $20 million terminal and other improvements; and a new collaborative effort to train aviation technicians.

After several more visits in quick succession, both in Montreal and at the airport, a deal was closed only about a month after the engagement began.

The company will invest $64 million to build a 262,000 square-foot hangar; it may later invest another $50 million to create a duplicate facility, creating an additional 740 new jobs by 2012.

Laurentian Aerospace can apply for an ESD capital grant of up to $6.1 million. The hanger construction project will also receive $3 million in new multi-modal transportation funding, including $1.5 million each being made available by the Governor and Senator Betty Little. NYSERDA will also provide up to $500,000 for the project.

Kurtz credited these government officials and U.S. Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Charles Schumer and U.S. Rep. John McHugh (R-Pierrepont Manor). She also praised officials from ESD, Clinton County, the County of Clinton IDA, and even the Mohawk Valley EDGE for quickly providing information that helped the team knowledgeably negotiate things like leases, landing fees, and financing.

"We needed all the cooperation," she said. "The economic developer's job is to work with anyone and everyone to facilitate deals. It's not about who gets credit. It's more about making sure that all the key components and key players are involved and engaged."