Governor Scott congratulated the groundbreaking of Allegiant’s new East Coast Training Center at the Orlando Sanford International Airport. The new 43,000 square foot facility will create 30 new jobs and will invest $24 million in the local community. The company expects training for East Coast based Allegiant pilots and mechanics to begin in 2017. Allegiant is currently responsible for more than 14,000 direct jobs across the State of Florida.
Governor Scott said, “Allegiant has already created thousands of jobs for Floridians across the state and I am proud that they have chosen to continue to invest in Central Florida. While this global company could have chosen to build their new facility in any other location, they ultimately chose Florida as the best place to create new jobs. I congratulate Allegiant on the groundbreaking of their new East Coast Training Center and look forward to seeing their continued growth in Florida.”
Lt. Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera said, “I was proud to join Allegiant in celebrating the future sight of their new East Coast Training Center. By working to do all we can to make Florida more business-friendly, we are helping make it easier for major job creators like Allegiant to invest in our state. I am excited to see this new facility open and create new opportunities for families in Sanford.”
The East Coast Training Center will have the capacity to train 150 pilots, 500 flight attendants and 100 mechanics a year. It will house a full range of flight simulator, cabin trainers and classroom resources for the A320 and MD80 aircraft that make up the bulk of Allegiant’s fleet. Allegiant was founded in 1997 and the company’s innovative business model has allowed it to grow from one plane and one route to offering access to low-cost flights in over 100 cities nationwide, more than any other domestic low-cost carrier.
Maury Gallagher, chief executive officer and chairman of Allegiant, said, “All of us at Allegiant are proud of our growing presence in the Sanford Orlando area, and partnerships that have enabled nearly 14 million people to travel to and from Sanford in our eleven years of operation in the market. The state-of-the-art East Coast training center will take that partnership to the next level by making Sanford a premier hub for training our hardworking crews. We’re excited to embark on this important project and look forward to a bright future in the Sunshine State.”