HUNTSVILLE — Local leaders said the area is prepared, excited and ready to welcome U.S. Space Command to its new permanent headquarters at Redstone Arsenal.
The move is expected to bring approximately 1,400 direct jobs to the region over the next five years, a number Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said is manageable.
At a roundtable media briefing Wednesday, the mayor emphasized the gradual pace of growth and Huntsville’s proven track record in managing large-scale expansions.
“For those concerned about growth, the numbers tell the story,” Battle said. “We’re talking about 280 people a year. Some will live in Huntsville, some in Madison and some in communities across north Alabama. This is a very manageable number, and it’s also a tremendous opportunity.”
Of course, it’s unlikely that all current Space Command employees in Colorado will relocate to the Huntsville area. Many of those positions will likely be filled by the highly skilled workforce already based here, further reducing the number of relocating residents.
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Huntsville has navigated similar workforce transitions in the past, from the 5,000 jobs that came with the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) in the early 2000s to Mazda Toyota Manufacturing’s addition of 4,000 jobs in recent years. In each case, Huntsville planned ahead, invested wisely and welcomed new residents without straining city services.
The working relationships among agencies based at Redstone Arsenal and Space Command are already strong and bringing Space Command to the same location will only enhance those relationships.
“If you look at the commands that we have here, everything from NASA to FBI to the Missile Defense Agency, the synergy is already there between those commands,” said Redstone Arsenal Deputy Garrison Commander Martin Traylor. “Most of those elements are already dealing with Space Command on a daily basis now anyway. It just makes it a lot easier because now, in addition to being able to communicate over their secure communications networks, they can literally go down the street and see people face to face.
“It’s hard to put a price on a relationship factor of leadership like that. It’s going to have a tremendous impact on the national security and operational level of Space Command being here. It’s going to be a win for Space Command.”
Infrastructure remains a central part of that preparation. Projects such as the widening of Research Park Boulevard, expansion of Cecil Ashburn Drive, Memorial Parkway overpasses and the Northern Bypass have strengthened connectivity.
Additional investments, including Resolute Way – a future connector from I-565 to Gate 9 at Redstone Arsenal and a number one priority – are already in motion.
“Over the past two decades, Huntsville has pursued a forward-looking growth strategy,” Battle said. “We’ve invested in roads, diverse housing, schools and workforce programs. Our community is mission-ready to support Space Command with a strong military presence, a skilled workforce and a culture of innovation.”
Along with Traylor, Battle was joined by Madison County Commission Chair Mac McCutcheon, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, State Rep. Rex Reynolds, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber President & CEO Chip Cherry, and Chamber Senior Vice President Lucia Cape. Together, the group highlighted the deep partnerships among local, state, and federal leaders working to ensure a seamless transition.
“What you see at this table is a partnership,” McCutcheon said. “Space Command is coming to a community that is already ready. Everything is in place to support this mission and strengthen national security.”
With thoughtful planning and collaboration, leaders say the future looks bright for both Space Command and the community it will now call home.
“If we just do a good job of offering multiple opportunities within multiple quality neighborhoods or cities, the families will choose where they want to live,” Finley said. “We are responsible for the infrastructure. That’s what we’re working on, and I think the school districts in this area are just phenomenal – both on the high school level and the secondary (college) level.
“We just continue to get bigger, better and stronger because we just don’t care who wins. We just want to continue to win.”
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