Ypsilanti jumps into Aerotropolis development

For years the term Aerotropolis and all of the economic development possibilities that come with it have been centered on Wayne County. Now Washtenaw County is starting to get in on the act ...en masse.

Ypsilanti Township, along with Belleville and Taylor, has joined the regional corporation that will develop about 60,000 acres of land from Detroit Metro Airport to Willow Run Airport. The city of Ypsilanti and Van Buren Township signed on last year.

Ypsilanti Township paid $25,000 to become part of the Aerotropolis Development Corporation, which heads up the Aerotropolis initiative. The Aerotropolis is expected to create 64,000 new jobs, $10 billion in economic impact and millions in tax revenue in the area around Metro and Willow Run airports. Major economic development incentives are planned to help develop the Aerotropolis area.

Metro Airport is expected to become one of Metro Detroit's main economic engines of the 21st Century because it has lots of room to grow in the vacant or unused land around it. Most other major metro airports have already been extensively developed and have little room to grow.

Source: Wayne County
Writer: Jon Zemke
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