Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham joined executives from
Ascent Aviation and local and state officials on Saturday to break
ground on a new Roswell facility that will serve as a major hub for
airline maintenance and repair.
The Ascent Aviation expansion at the Roswell Air Center was one of the
first rural economic development projects approved by Gov. Lujan Grisham
since she took office in January of 2019. It is now moving forward with
a commitment of $4 million of economic assistance from the State of New
Mexico’s Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) job-creation fund.
Ascent is expanding from its home in Arizona and expects to open in New
Mexico by the end of the year. The company plans to hire 360 employees
in Roswell with an average salary of over $60,000. Chaves County has
committed an additional $3 million in utility and infrastructure
improvements and Ascent plans to invest $20 million into the New Mexico
location. The project is expected to have a statewide economic impact of
$545 million over 10 years.
“Impactful projects like these are exactly what the state should be
investing in,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said. “Together, with the private
sector and local governments, we are putting Roswell on the map for
aviation repair and maintenance. This is how we grow jobs in rural
areas, by investing in communities to build a more diversified and
resilient economic future.”
Economic Development Department Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes said
Gov. Lujan Grisham has been steadfast in her support of the LEDA fund,
which is used to assist economic-base companies offset expansion and
relocations costs for land, buildings, and infrastructure.
“The commitment from the community to the Air Center goes back
decades. Roswell and Chaves County have long recognized this facility as
an asset, a gem really, with the potential to attract new businesses and
create jobs with some partnerships, some commitments, and some
investment,” Secretary Keyes said. “Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham gets
this. She understands that communities need help closing big deals. She
knows that State resources can leverage significant private investment
and benefit New Mexico families.”
Ascent is also partnering with Eastern New Mexico University’s branch
campus in Roswell and Central New Mexico Community College in
Albuquerque to provide scholarships and internships for the next
generation of aviation maintenance technicians. Thanks to the
administration’s Opportunity Scholarship, some students are earning
certificates or associates degrees in aviation maintenance tuition-free.
Since taking office in 2019, Gov. Lujan Grisham has authorized LEDA
investment assistance to 13 rural projects with private investment of
$224 million. The expansions will create 1,300 jobs and the average
salary for LEDA-assisted companies in calendar year 2001 was over
$90,000.
Ascent Aviation is branded as a one-stop shop for aircraft maintenance
including storage, maintenance, reclamation, and fueling. It services
narrow, wide-body, and regional aircraft and has authorizations on
Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer, and Airbus aircraft. It also services
airlines, cargo operators, leasing companies, and VIPs.
Ascent has two facilities in Arizona with approximately 500 employees.
Its locations at the Pinal Air Park and Tucson International Airport
span 1,230 acres and boast five hangars.
As a former strategic bomber base for the U.S. Air Force that closed in
1967, the Roswell Air Center is already used by airlines and leasing
companies for storage of unused jets and private planes. The facility
has a 13,000-foot-long runway and is suitable for larger, heavier
wide-body planes. The 500 planes parked in Roswell frequently need
maintenance, paint, or repairs and often have to be flown elsewhere for
those services.
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Ascent Aviation hangar at another operations center – Roswell hangar
will be similar once it is completed. Photo courtesy of Ascent Aviation.
Gov. Lujan Grisham at the Ascent Aviation announcement in Roswell, Feb.
12, 2022.
The New Mexico Economic Development Department’s mission is to improve
the lives of New Mexico families by increasing economic opportunities
and providing a place for businesses to thrive.
New Mexico Economic Development Department
EDD.NewMexico.gov [1]
