Tulsa is still in the running for the Boeing plant

Is Tulsa still in the running for Boeing's new 7E7 Dreamliner facility, or have we been cut from the pack? <br><br>Thursday, city and state leaders want the record set straight. News on 6 anchor

Thursday, September 4th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Is Tulsa still in the running for Boeing's new 7E7 Dreamliner facility, or have we been cut from the pack?

Thursday, city and state leaders want the record set straight. News on 6 anchor Tami Marler has been checking on rumors that Tulsa is off the "short list."

She says there's fierce competition for the most important aerospace contract in several years. Analysts estimate a new Boeing facility would provide roughly a half-billion dollar annual payroll, and thousands of direct and indirect jobs. It's no wonder the six states reportedly "invited" to submit bid packages, are nervous about Washington Governor Gary Locke's assertion that Boeing has whittled its original list of dozens, to a "short list" of cities, something local and state officials deny.

Kathryn Taylor with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, "we are confident in the integrity of the statements that Boeing and their consultants have made to us - that there is no short list and the project and the analysis will be continuing through the end of the year."

Tulsa Mayor Bill LaFortune, â€œyou know also it's playing the game. It's all about playing the game now. And we're going to send a signal that we're willing to play the game. We're going to give it all we've got."

Mayor LaFortune says part of "the game", includes hundreds of millions of dollars in incentives. And the only way Tulsa can compete is through part 1 of the Vision plan.