Missouri’s Statewide Coordination Key to NGA Selection of St. Louis
- April 05, 2016
NGA selects Missouri as the preferred home of the NGA West.
On March 31, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency announced the preferred new home of the U.S. spy agency’s western regional headquarters and their $1.6 billion investment is in the City of St. Louis, Missouri.
“The St. Louis city site provides NGA with the most technological, academic and professional environment,” agency director Robert Cardillo said. And the urban base is preferable to “attract, recruit and retain” its more than 3,000 high-tech workers.
The new site, just north of downtown, is conveniently located adjacent to a variety of innovative and cultural areas. The Cortex Innovation Community and Washington Avenue, both vibrant startup and innovation districts, are to its south and west, as are the cultural and sporting areas of the Central West End, Forest Park, Grand Center and Clark Avenue.
The NGA would also be located in the center of three top universities, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis University and the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
The effort to bring NGA to North St. Louis City was a coordinated effort that crossed all lines and boundaries. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, the Missouri legislature, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, County Executive Steve Stenger, the Missouri congressional delegation, the Missouri DED, economic development agencies, and other federal, state and local officials worked closely together to ensure that the St. Louis site was the most attractive, with the most impactful support and targeted performance-based incentives in place.
Executive Stenger, who leads the neighboring St. Louis County, supported the new site, even though there were locations in St. Louis County under consideration. And Gov. Nixon travelled to Washington, D.C. to meet with Cardillo to convey the state’s full support of the St. Louis city location.
“This is a great day for St. Louis and a shining example of what is possible when Missourians work together across regional and party lines for the good of their communities,” Nixon said.
This statewide coordination and cooperation is a strength that continues to make Missouri an attractive place to invest and grow businesses and jobs.