Boeing choose Chicago for new HQ
 

From the BBC:

"Boeing's shopping spree has ended and the winner is ... the Windy City. Chicago is Boeing's choice for its new world headquarters, edging out Denver and Dallas after a high-profile US-wide search.

Boeing confirmed the move on Thursday after a surprise announcement in March that it was leaving Seattle for a more central location.

The company plans to move to its new headquarters on 4 September from Seattle, where it was founded in 1916.

"We looked at three very exciting metropolitan areas in which to base our company," Boeing chairman Phil Condit said.

"It was a very difficult decision."

Chicago is a mere two and a half hour flight from New York and just two hours from Washington, DC. But the move also puts Boeing closer to European markets.

It is also home to one of the world's busiest airports, O'Hare International Airport.

The new headquarters is expected to be smaller than Seattle's operations, with reportedly 500 fewer employees - half of its current staff.

The company will keep its massive aircraft factories and design and development facilities in the Seattle area.

Chicago was eager to land Boeing, both to add another world-class business to those already based there - like McDonalds, United Airlines, Motorola and Sears Roebuck - and to reverse a recent trend that has seen it lose several corporate headquarters, including Amoco before it merged with BP."

That's Chicago for you, you go there and you just don't want to leave. For me it's the second best city in the US(after NYC of course!) and it has the best Hotdogs you'll ever taste!

Good move for Boeing.

I was interested to hear about the move to Chicago. It is a wonderful city. I am curious about the possibility of an exhibit/ show presented in the area due to the move?

will all manufacturing remain in seattle??
understood a problem moving "wide body" sections by surface due to railroad bridge/tunnels dimensions.
i.e. only able to fly out complete a/c.
any truth in this??

No, all manufacturing will remain in Seattle, there will be no change there and those giant buildings at Renton, Everett etc will remain. Only the corporate HQ will move to Chicago taking about 500 people. But because their registered company base will now be in Chicago that is where all their financials will be based. So in an instant, Boeing will become Chicago's biggest company.

I don't usually add links, but I thought that this one deserved an exception:

http://www.avweb.com/articles/openltr/

TW