Navy signs 10-year lease at NC Global TransPark, bringing more than 400 jobs to eastern North Carolina
Gov. Josh Stein announced Thursday that the U.S. Navy and the N.C. Global TransPark in Kinston have signed a 10-year agreement that the state says will bring more than 400 jobs to eastern North Carolina and anchor future aircraft maintenance and overhaul work at the site. The agreement marks a significant milestone for a project that has drawn major state investment and long-running economic expectations in the region.
According to the governor’s office, the 2,500-acre industrial park will support maintenance and aircraft overhaul for Fleet Readiness Center East, the Navy aviation maintenance operation based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. The release said state lawmakers in 2023 approved a $350 million loan to the TransPark for site improvements needed to accommodate the project and that the Navy recently signed a $15 million-per-year contract that will take effect once Fleet Readiness Center East fully occupies its 65-acre space at the park.
“North Carolina’s strong defense and aviation tradition and world-class workforce make this announcement a perfect partnership,” Stein said in the release. “The long-term agreement will bring economic prosperity to eastern North Carolina and support our nation’s military readiness.”
TransPark officials and Navy representatives also described the agreement as a turning point. “This agreement marks a defining moment for the Global TransPark,” board Chair Tom Hendrickson said. “Years from now, we will look back and recognize this partnership with Fleet Readiness Center East as the catalyst for a new era of growth and opportunity.” Executive Director Jeremy Stroud said the project will bring “high-quality jobs with wages well above the county average” while strengthening support for military operations.
Andy Napoli, assistant commander of Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, said the arrangement reflects an “innovative acquisition strategy” developed with the state. He said the combination of leased facilities and aviation support services through an intergovernmental agreement will speed delivery of needed maintenance infrastructure.
The state said a temporary move from Cherry Point helped demonstrate that Fleet Readiness Center East could operate more efficiently at the TransPark, which helped pave the way for the longer-term deal. The military is expected to begin using available facilities in July, with the first aircraft arriving in the fall, according to the governor’s office. Additional construction is still needed to complete the hangars, which are scheduled to be finished next summer. Once completed, the hangars will provide the Navy with 17 acres under roof.
The agreement is one of the more concrete developments in years for the TransPark, a publicly backed site long promoted as an economic engine for eastern North Carolina. With the lease now signed, attention is likely to shift from announcements to execution, including construction timelines, job creation, facility occupancy and whether the state’s large financial commitment produces the long-term economic return officials are promising.
Editor’s note: This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and fact-checked by a member of the NC Political News editorial team before publication.
