DENVER — News that U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM) is relocating from Colorado Springs to Huntsville, Alabama, is not necessarily the economic deathblow that some are making it out to be, according to the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.
Chamber president and CEO J.J. Ament said Space Command accounts for 1,400 jobs and a billion dollars in regional economic impact. However, according to Ament, that is a drop in the aerospace industry bucket.
"We're certainly disappointed to see Space Command move to Alabama, but Colorado's aerospace economy is incredibly robust," Ament told Denver7 anchor Shannon Ogden. "We have more than 2,000 aerospace companies in Colorado. They employ over 200,000 people directly or indirectly."
- Explore the history of the fight over Space Command in the timeline below:
According to the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Colorado's aerospace industry brought in more than $40 billion in federal investment just last year.
Meanwhile, the relocation of Space Command headquarters won't happen overnight.
"But one fell swoop means over many years, because one of our arguments to keep Space Command is it's fully up and running now. Fully operational capability. So it'll take many years for Huntsville to develop and build facilities that will be needed," Ament said. "So that transition is going to take time. It won't happen immediately. We'll find that many of our military men and women will be ordered to relocate. Many of the commercial folks will probably stay in Colorado and will continue to work in some capacity with Space Command from here. I think there will be Space Command jobs even if headquarter zip code changes."
Related coverage:
- Trump says Colorado’s mail-in voting ‘a big factor’ in relocating Space Command headquarters
- Colorado leaders – including entire congressional delegation – speak out against proposed Space Command move
- Space Command move ‘makes no sense’ and will cost billions, former Colorado Springs mayor says
