Is BRAC real? Will it be coming soon? The answer is yes. It is on the horizon and many businesses in our area are preparing for it. The story listed below from the Columbia Flier details upcoming events.
"Even as companies across the state scale back operations or close entirely and local governments lay off workers, at least one bright spot glows on the economic horizon: BRAC.Base Realignment and Closure, the process in which the U.S. Department of Defense is shifting jobs from other military bases to five locations in Maryland, is expected to bring as many as 60,000 new jobs to the state. About 22,000 of those jobs are expected at Fort Meade in Anne Arundel County, just across the Howard line.Local officials, including those in Howard County, say those jobs could give a much-needed boost to the economy.“We’re glad that there are thousands of jobs coming to the region,” said County Executive Kenneth Ulman. “We believe it’ll provide an economic development boom, especially when it comes to folks who are looking for work.”BRAC will account for the largest employment growth in the state since World War II, as defense contractors follow military jobs to the area, according to the state BRAC office. All moves must be completed by September 2011, but the state will continue to benefit into 2015 and beyond.Groundbreaking is occurring this month on several new buildings at Fort Meade, and the first wave of jobs is expected in 2010, said Kent Menser, executive director of the county’s BRAC office. While there will be thousands of Defense Department jobs moving to the area through BRAC, expected growth at the National Security Agency, located at Fort Meade, and among federal contractors is also factored into the equation.Because the process is spread out over several years, local residents will not notice any immediate impact.“It’s not a tsunami, but phased growth,” Menser said."
This will be a much needed injection of jobs...and capital, to our area.
Stay tuned...there's much more on the horizon!
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