Coalition seeks $70 million grant to transform Central Coast into space, aeronautics hub
Economic development groups from six Central Coast counties have partnered to transform the region into a space and aeronautics hub, with Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc playing a key role.
The coalition, led by local economic development group REACH, “has come together to advance space and aeronautics across the Central Coast and create an aerospace technology corridor bridging the centers of industry to the north and south,” according to a news release Wednesday.
“Each of us in our respective markets has innovative companies shaping the future of air and space, world-class universities and other valuable assets,” REACH President and CEO Melissa James said in the release. “By connecting the dots, building a robust talent pipeline and removing barriers, we can drive transformational growth across a vast expanse of our state.”
The coalition, called the Uplift Central Coast Coalition, consists of REACH, the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership and the Economic Development Collaborative.
Together, those groups represent Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties.
According to the release, the Uplift Central Coast Coalition applied for a $70 million grant under the Biden administration’s $1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge that would help spur space related projects across those six counties.
The grant would fund eight space and aeronautics projects around the Central Coast, including a key project to develop a commercial space industry tech park at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
In San Luis Obispo County, projects would include establishing a center for research and innovation in aerospace-related fields at Cal Poly and expanding existing — and developing new — training programs at regional community colleges.
Other projects involve building “a multi-disciplinary research park and innovation district focused on aerospace, advanced air mobility, and uncrewed aerial vehicles (drones)“ in Santa Cruz County, building a science education space at Cal State Monterey and expanding airport area roads and “integrat(ing) improve circulation and airport access for aeronautics business expansion” in Santa Barbara County.
In total, the $70 million grant would help to create nearly 10,000 jobs, catalyze growth for more than 150 companies and spur more than $500 million in investments, according to the release.
The grant would also make it possible to train 2,000 workers per year and annually reach more than 30,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade, according to the release.
The coalition is also eyeing a piece of California’s $600 million Community Economic Resilience Fund, which was established to support inclusive and equitable regional economic development initiatives, according to the release.
“This expansive coalition exemplifies the type of regional collaboration the state is aiming for in our economic recovery efforts,” Dee Dee Myers, director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, said in the release. “It aligns with our vision for both sustaining and growing California’s position at the forefront of the aerospace and commercial space industries, pushing the boundaries of innovation and creating the jobs of the future.”
This story was originally published October 27, 2021 at 2:10 PM.
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