Governor Gary Locke’s Remarks
7E7 Final Agreement Signing
December 19, 2003

7E7 Final Agreement Signing
December 19, 2003
176 words/MSW

Good afternoon. It is an honor to be here.

Today is an ending and a beginning.

We are signing a memorandum of agreement which commences tax incentives to Boeing and other aerospace companies in Washington. We are also signing the master agreement between Washington State and Boeing and its other partners to build the 7E7 in Washington State.

Today’s agreement with Boeing is the culmination of countless hours of energetic effort by an inspired and unified statewide team. Our signatures today conclude a successful collaborative journey for our state and for Boeing.

But even more important, this agreement marks the beginning of a new journey. Today we enter a strategic partnership together, and the flight of the Dreamliner begins.

Working together, we will build the most efficient, cost-effective airplane ever.

Working together, we will deliver to Boeing customers the best value in the sky, proudly made in Washington.

And working together, we will give Airbus executives many sleepless nights for years to come.

This week marked the 100th anniversary of powered flight. Boeing was an inspiring and dominant force in that first century.

The agreement we sign this afternoon begins a bold and innovative new century in commercial aviation. And with our signatures, we give this new century its first true signature airplane—the Boeing 7E7.

Thank you.