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Corks flying as Everett celebrates 7E7 decision

By Jane Hodges
Times Snohomish County bureau

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For most of the past two weeks, Knutson, president of the Snohomish County Economic Development Council, and other civic leaders had to guard against overconfidence, despite reports that Everett was the favored location of Boeing's 7E7 team.

Yesterday's confirmation that the Boeing board of directors chose Everett means just 800 to 1,200 factory jobs here to build the next-generation plane. But it really means much more: Leaders here say the 7E7 decision might represent a hopeful turning point in the region's relationship to its biggest employer. If the 7E7 had gone elsewhere, it could have led a slow, inexorable withdrawal of Boeing from the state.

Knutson was hosting a holiday party last night for local business leaders. "It's going to be open champagne tonight," she said, glad she could finally speak of the 7E7 as reality, not just hope.

At the Port of Everett across town, whoops and cheers could be heard in the background while John Mohr, the port's executive director, recounted the work he, his office and state officials went through to plan a $16 million rail and barge facility that Boeing will use to import large parts for its current jetliners, as well as the 7E7.

"It's been a long run," Mohr said. "We've worked very hard on this, and it's been a very exciting process."

At times, the wait for final word from Boeing has been stressful, Mohr conceded, knowing that there were competitive bids from other states but not knowing how they stacked up to Everett's. "There was a point this year when it was looking pretty desperate — in July, August, September," said Travis Snider, chairman of the board at the Greater Everett Area Chamber of Commerce. Snider noted that if Boeing phased out its current jetliners as expected and didn't build the 7E7 here, it would have left only one plane — the 777 — to be produced in the massive Everett plant, one of the world's largest factories.

"We've been focusing on this so much this year," Snider said. "This feels really good."

The news yesterday started a round of celebrations. The city of Everett plans to hold a free party at 5 tonight at the new Everett Events Center to honor the local leaders involved in helping win the 7E7 business. The public is invited, said Kate Reardon, the city's public-information officer.

Mike Smoody, co-owner of Talon Manufacturing in Arlington, said he's glad of the win, but added that as a small supplier he's unsure whether it means work for his firm.

"I think it's going to be more of a morale booster," he said. "What I hope this means is that Snohomish County will go after people (with 7E7 contracts) to bring satellite assembly sites here so that we can work with them."

Other business owners, who have watched the city's economy struggle the past two years as Boeing eliminated 26,000 Puget Sound-area jobs, say they can now relax and return to long-range planning.

"A lot of our business comes as a result of the Boeing 'mini-economy,' " said Tom Lane, owner of three Dwayne Lane auto dealerships in the county. "The perception is that people can breathe now. This is just such a major announcement that it will have an incredible effect."

For Lane, the news means moving faster to launch a fourth dealership, which will sell Suzuki cars from a showroom near one of his other stores on Evergreen Way.

"We were waiting, but now we're definitely going to do it," he said. "This will give people confidence."

Jane Hodges: 425-745-7813 or jhodges@seattletimes.com

Copyright © 2003 The Seattle Times Company