Senate Leaders Say North St. Louis City is the Leading Location for Large Development Project
Location Would Also Provide Prime Recruitment Possibilities
JEFFERSON CITY— The Senate adopted a resolution this week showing Legislature support for the north St. Louis City region and how valuable it would be to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). Senate leaders said expanding in the city would provide NGA a well-connected location close to business, education, and technology that is critical to private sector partnerships and transparency.
“St. Louis has been the proud home to the NGA for 72 years. We have had a wonderful partnership with the agency, but they have outlived their current facility,” said the measure’s sponsor Joe Keaveny, D-St. Louis. “We have a new location available that will more than meet the needs of the NGA and is the best choice for the new headquarters.”
Senate Concurrent Resolution 58 encourages the NGA to build its new facility in north St. Louis City. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency provides crucial geospatial, or map-based, intelligence to the military, policymakers, first responders, and intelligence professionals. The agency, which pays an average salary of $83,000, wants to move from its current south St. Louis City home and hopes to build a new high-tech facility in the surrounding area. The agency already employs more than 3,000 people, and two-thirds of those employees live in Missouri.
“If we were to miss out on the opportunity to our neighbors, Missouri will lose more than $8 million per year in income taxes alone. The chance to grow won’t exist,” said Senate Leader Ron Richard, R-Joplin. “I’ve told Mayor Francis Slay, we will back him up on whatever he needs to do to keep the NGA here in the Show-Me State. Staying in St. Louis City will bring a huge economic development advantage to the entire state.”
Majority Floor Leader Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City said the NGA is critical to national defense and the north city region offers a growing technology sector.
“The next generation of the NGA’s workforce is living and working in St. Louis City. St. Louis will provide the agency the best recruitment opportunities available” said Kehoe. “The General Assembly has shown we not only will provide regional cooperation, but statewide support as well.”
“This is a prime location for the NGA,” said measure co-sponsor Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis. “This location will meet the mission of the NGA and provide them options for growth in the future.”
This is not the only effort to keep the NGA. Last session, the General Assembly passed House Bill 514, which provided for tax increment financing (TIF) for blighted areas for the proposed site. The resolution will now move to the House for consideration. For more information on SCR 58 or any other legislation, please visit the Senate website at www.senate.mo.gov.
###
Lauren Hieger, Senate Majority Caucus Communications Director
(573) 751-7266 – lauren.hieger@senate.mo.gov