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CARMEL, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) – The executive director of Indianapolis-based Republic Airways said a planned $ 200 million aviation campus in Carmel is both an investment in workforce development and the continued development of the city. The airline this week detailed plans to establish its head office and a state-of-the-art training center in the Meridian corporate corridor, creating nearly 2,000 jobs in the city. Matt Koscal says the project, when completed, will help recruit and retain top talent.
In an interview with Inside INdiana Business, Koscal said the campus will provide tremendous support for the airline’s operations.
“What a lot of people don’t realize is the amount of training that takes place behind the scenes, 24/7, 365 days a year and when you really understand that and watch that, it’s an incredible amount of energy that comes into a community and Carmel understood that, “Koscal said.” They were ready to partner with us. The State of Indiana wanted to partner with us. us to make sure we can create a top notch facility and a top notch environment that makes it a destination. ”
Koscal says plans for the campus have been in the works for a few years and the company considered many different locations before moving to Carmel.
In addition to a new head office, the project includes a three-story, 105,000 square foot training center that includes classrooms, workstations, cabin simulators and flight simulators. There will also be a new parking lot that will include commercial and residential spaces.
The campus will be located along 126th Street, near US 31, which the city says has encountered difficulties after improvements to the freeway resulted in a loss of direct access to the area. Koscal says the region has not been a bright spot in a corridor that has otherwise flourished.
“Being able to take this land and imagine what we can do with it has been exciting for everyone here at Republic,” he said. “We have deep roots in Indiana. The city of Carmel has done a great job of simply developing… the city into an attractive place. Today we compete for the recruitment and retention of talent nationally and we believe that having a strong city with great schools, great parks and a good partnership and the arts and all the investments that are important to our current and future employees is something that could not be a better outcome for Republic Airways and for Carmel.
Another major aspect of the project is the renovation and expansion of an existing Hampton Inn hotel, which was acquired by Indianapolis-based Kite Realty Group Trust Inc. (NYSE: KRG), which is the lead developer of the project. The expansion will bring the hotel to 274 rooms, which will be reserved exclusively for people visiting the campus.
Koscal says it’s important to have a state-of-the-art training facility to ensure that employees are well prepared for their jobs, but have a dedicated and quality living space for interns, during that they are in town, is just as important.
“What [our associates] to do is serious work. Being able to provide them with the best environment to train and to be at the top of their game in the aviation profession is fundamental to everything we do and it goes beyond simulators. It goes beyond the classrooms, but it goes to the study time and the relaxation time that is necessary to keep you in top shape and to have the dedicated hotel and accommodation there for our associates, we think, allows us to do it. “
Koscal says the company hopes the project will boost the city’s ability to develop the land just north of where the campus will be built, which could include another head office, especially for a company in the construction industry. ‘aviation.
Koscal will discuss the project further in this weekend’s edition of Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick.
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