In May 2005, Louisiana State University economist Loren Scott told the Gulf South Bank conference in New Orleans that Alabama would lead the region in employment growth through 2006, at 2.5 percent. Brookley Field in Mobile, one of the EADS finalists, wants to help that figure along in a major way. But even if it misses out on the tanker project, it has a backup EADS project to fall back on: a cargo plane assembly site that would be operated by EADS and Raytheon, should they win the U.S. Army contract expected to be awarded in late 2005.
      In fact, according to an interview with Crosby published in the Mobile Register, all four Southeast finalist sites are in the running for the second plant. But Mobile is already home to a support center for EADS aircraft used by the U.S. Coast Guard.
      "Ultimately this will be a deal, and Alabama is the best dealmaker," said Prof. Jenkins of the state's chances with EADS.
      Meanwhile, $80 million in state support for a new container port to be built by the Alabama State Port Authority was finally approved by the state legislature in its session's final hours in May.
      While more big planes may or may not be coming to Mobile, big boats are certainly coming to Gulf Shores, about 45 minutes away on the eastern tip of Mobile Bay. That's where McAleer Marine Group LLC is building a 20,000-sq.-ft. (1,858-sq.-m.), 48-employee manufacturing facility at Gulf Shores Industrial Park near Jack Edwards Airport. The plant will make fiberglass boats ranging from 18 to 22 ft. (5.5 to 6.7 m.) in length, with inboard jet drives.
      The project will be constructed by November 2005 on a 5-acre (2-hectare) parcel owned by the airport authority. The Gulf Shores City Council approved a seven-year property tax abatement as well as a sales and use tax abatement for the $1-million-plus project.