Sedgwick County approves Hawker Beechcraft incentives

(WICHITA, Kan.) — Sedgwick County Commissioners approve $2.5 million in incentives for Hawker Beechcraft.

The incentives are part of a $45 million dollar package created late last year in order to keep Hawker Beechcraft from leaving Wichita.

Under the deal the state will give Hawker Beechcraft $40 million, and the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County will give $2.5 million each. In return the company must keep its headquarters in Wichita and employ at least 4,000 in Wichita people for the next 10 years. If the company violates the agreement it could lost some or all of the incentives.

The City of Wichita approved its portion of the incentives last week. Wednesday Sedgwick County Commissioners voted 3-1 in favor of a five-year forgivable loan for Hawker Beechcraft. Commissioner Richard Ranzau was the only one who voted against the incentives. Commission Karl Peterjohn was absent from Wednesday's meeting.