Press Release
U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1 Million to Establish New Aviation and Engineering Research Center in Florida
Contact: EDA Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
December 11, 2017
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross today announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1 million grant to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Inc. of Daytona Beach, Florida, to help build the Applied Aviation and Engineering Research Hangar in Volusia County. The facility will serve as the new home for the Eagle Flight Research Center, a hub for engineering research and development. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 387 jobs, and spur $1.6 million in private investment.
“This project is the product of local leader’s efforts to spur economic opportunities in Volusia County,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “The completion of this project will help strengthen the region’s aeronautical sector, making the community a potential destination for both domestic and foreign investment.”
The Eagle Flight Research Center will help to foster innovation in the state’s aeronautical cluster and increase its attractiveness to the private sector. This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council. EDA funds the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council to bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support capital investment and create jobs.
About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.