United Launch Alliance To Bring 1,000 Jobs

DENVER–As previously announced, Lockheed Martin and Boeing have created a joint venture to form United Launch Alliance. According to Tom Clark, executive vice president of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corp., the new company will initially bring about 1,000 high-paying jobs to the metro area. The only downside, he tells GlobeSt.com, is that the jobs won’t translate into direct office space.

“I tell you, there is so much surplus space at Waterton Canyon that I don’t think there will be any need to lease outside office space,” Clark tells GlobeSt.com. However, it is possible companies that want to do business with the new entity, which is building a new generation of booster rockets for the US, will lease space along the corridor. And it will certainly help the local economy, which ultimately always helps the office market, Clark says.

“It’s going to help retailers, restaurants and car dealers; car dealers are going to love it,” Clark tells GlobeSt.com. “It’s also going to be a boom to the residential real estate market in Jeffco and western Arapahoe County.”

The question will be how many administrators, engineers and support jobs will move from Boeing’s Hunting Beach, CA Delta Rocket facilities. “If you use the national average for aerospace jobs, the average salaries are in the $75,000 to $85,000 range,” Clark says. “Of course, it also will mean some executives who are paid much more.”

Clark and state economic officials have been going to Huntington Beach to speak with Boeing employees who will be offered transfers. Other trips are in the works.

“I could see why people would want to live in Huntington Beach, especially if you could afford to live with a view of the beach,” Clark tells GlobeSt.com. “But some of the people there are commuting hours each way. And if they relocate, here, they’ll probably find that they can buy twice the house for the same amount of money.”

It also could be good for the second home market, as some people may decide to buy a vacation home in the mountains. Clark says this represents the biggest corporate relocation in recent memory for the Denver area.