Commission approves Project Eclipse development agreement

Today, commissioners approved a development agreement regarding Project Eclipse, a public-private partnership between Sedgwick County, City of Wichita, and Spirit AeroSystems. This formalizes the agreement and creates a separate legal entity called the Eclipse Investment Authority. 

Sedgwick County will invest $7 million in real estate (building) over the next 10 years. In return, Spirit AeroSystems is committed to remain in the community for the next 20 years with plans to hire an additional 1,000 employees within the next two years. 

“Some people may try to analyze it a hundred different ways to poke holes in it, but getting more out of our investment plus $2.7 billion dollars coming into our community is pretty hard to argue against,” said Commission Chairman David Dennis. “I am proud to support this.”  

Due to the additional 1,000 jobs from Spirit AeroSystems and the expected 1,200 indirect jobs approximately $2.7 billion will be infused into the local economy. 

County staff began working with City staff, the Greater Wichita Partnership, and Spirit AeroSystems last November to bring this project to elected officials. This team met regularly to collaborate, work through key points, and reach an agreement.