Aircraft builder signs lease for airport land

Morgan Aircraft and Sheboygan County reached a lease agreement Monday, Aug. 3, which promises to give the area a much-needed economic boost in the coming years.

The two parties have agreed to a 50-year lease, which clears the way for Morgan Aircraft to build its planned $314 million, 600,000-square-foot corporate headquarters, offices and manufacturing facility at the Sheboygan County Memorial Airport.

Currently based in Oostburg, Morgan Airport will use the expansive space at the county airport to develop, test and produce its new, state-of-the-art Extremely Maneuverable Jet, which incorporates key elements of an airplane and a helicopter to allow for vertical takeoffs and landings.

According to the lease agreement, the manufacturing plant is projected to create as many as 1,535 new jobs over the next five years.

Morgan Aircraft President and Co-Founder Brian Morgan said the company would hire new employees as the project moves through several planned phases of construction.

Sheboygan County Board Supervisor Peggy Feider praised the signing of the lease agreement at a meeting of Sheboygan Falls Town Board Monday, Aug. 3.

“This is a tremendous development for Sheboygan County and the surrounding area,” Feider said. “The possible economic impact and number of jobs that are expected to be created is huge.”

The state will provide a $30 million tax-incentive package for the project and will Sheboygan County will contribute $3.1 million toward infrastructure and site improvements at the airport.

Groundbreaking for the project is scheduled to take place in September.