GWEDC Helped Create 2,225 Wichita Jobs in 2008

The Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition says it helped create 2,225 jobs in the Wichita, Kansas area during 2008.

The organization said it easily exceeded both its goals for the year and for its first five years of existence. Since January 2004 the coalition has aided in the creation of 10,500 jobs with an annual payroll of $433 million and a capital investment of $1.04 billion.

The group, funded by local government and corporations, originally projected 8,000 new jobs, $302 million in payroll and $100 million in investment.

Cessna Aircraft announced it would build a manufacturing facility in Wichita for its new Columbus business jet line, creating 1,010 jobs and a $200 million investment. Spirit AeroSystems followed with its own plan to construct a $262 million facility, with 700 jobs, to build the fuselage and other components of the Columbus.