EDITORIAL: Backers of Northwest tech hub have vision

When the proposed American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing tech hub in the Inland Northwest was not among 12 tech hubs named to receive federal funding last year, backers did not despair. 

In fact, as reflected in their responses, they remained confident. 

"I believe some tangible good work will come out of these efforts that might be an even better fit for North Idaho," North Idaho College President Nick Swayne said in a previous statement to The Press. Swayne rightly pointed out the local tech hub proposal advanced to the final 31 out of 400 applicants. 

Linda Coppess, Coeur d'Alene Regional Chamber president and CEO, said: "We are resilient, and our community is driven by a strong will to create new American jobs, strengthen our national security and reduce our reliance on foreign technology and labor. The great people of our region have always found innovative ways to overcome challenges, and we will continue to do so." 

Perhaps Gonzaga University President Thayne McCulloh, a leader of a local consortium that formed to support the center's creation, put it best.

"We're not giving up yet.” 

Good thing. 

The American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center recently announced that the test bed and training center will become a reality through the U.S. Department of Commerce Tech Hub award and industry commitments of over $50 million.   

The funding will help establish a facility for advanced aerospace materials in the Inland Northwest. It is believed that within a few years, the Inland Northwest based AAMMC Tech Hub can have prototypes ready for testing and eventual high-rate production.

We believe this is a gamechanger.

The Spokane-Coeur d’Alene region is well situated to meet the demands for equipping new airplanes with lightweight aerospace parts that reduce carbon emissions.  

The center will combine applied education research, workforce training and advanced production, principally located in a 386,000-square-foot repurposed manufacturing facility near Spokane International Airport.  

The Spokane-North Idaho Tech Hub will not only offer advanced technologies, manufacturing, and production, but will create hundreds of high-paying jobs. This Spokane-North Idaho Tech Hub holds tremendous potential to put our small area on a national map.

Give backers their due. 

It was a regional partnership of organizations from Washington and Idaho that put together a proposal in 2023 for the U.S. Economic Development Administration. 

North Idaho members of the consortium included the cities of Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls, North Idaho College, the Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber, the Coeur d’Alene Economic Development Corp. and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. 

This success story, fueled by vision, belief, planning and hard work, deserves recognition.