General Dynamics Considering Lake Charles for Plant

Date: January 9, 2002
Reported by: Brian Burns

A site on Port property on the industrial canal is in the running for a multi-million dollar project that could bring hundreds of jobs to the Lake Area. Chennault Airport along with the Port and Chamber are setting their sights on a General Dynamics production facility.

Air park director George Heard says the Lake Charles site is being considered along with sites in four other cities to host the plant which would make Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicles for the U-S Marine Corps.

Heard says it would be a coup for the Lake Area. "The Port of Lake Charles and Chennault and other entities in our area are trying to get a manufacturing opportunity in here that would make a new vehicle for the Marine Corps. It would probably handle 3 to 400 employees, probably last 15 to 20 years."

Heard says General Dynamics has already done it's first on site inspection and a delegation from Lake Charles will travel to the Virginia headquarters of General Dynamics at the end of this month.

To find out more about the Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicles, click here.