South Carolina's Aerospace Investment: A High-Stakes Success Story

Daniel Young, Director of Economic Development at Moore & Van Allen, recounts the high-stakes site selection process for Boeing's 787 Dreamliner final assembly facility in South Carolina.

In his article 'Twenty-Four Hours to Save Boeing,' published by Area Development, Young reflects on his experience with the South Carolina Department of Commerce during the early stages of Project Olympus. The state did not initially secure Boeing's initial 787 assembly decision but laid the groundwork for an eventual aerospace manufacturing campus in Charleston that employs roughly 8,000 South Carolinians.

The site selection process was anything but straightforward, with a tropical storm and a former phosphate mine presenting challenges. A pivotal late-night decision played a crucial role in the outcome, according to Young's account.