Every time a major manufacturer considers making a move within the US, there are 15,000 Economic Development Directors sealing large envelopes containing a packet filled with lovely and inviting brochures hoping to win jobs through private investment.

Boeing’s expansion announcement for Charleston is the national coup of the year for the Lowcountry.

We don’t know if there were 15,000 involved in the recent site review by Boeing, but we have to believe the competition was fierce.   The winner was the Charleston area, North Charleston to be exact.  The loser was Seattle, Boeing’s hometown for decades.

Boeing plans to break ground on a 584,000 square foot expansion near its existing North Charleston factory within the next few weeks.   They’ll begin rolling 787 Dreamliners out of Charleston in 2011.  The 787 is Boeing’s first new jet in more than a decade.

Boeing’s $450 million investment will produce at least 3,800 jobs.

The announcement is massively positive news for a state currently suffering one of the country’s highest unemployment rates and still reeling from recent political embarrassments.

Gooden + Faircloth welcomes Boeing and predicts everyone associated with the company moving into the area will love Charleston as much as we do.