Boeing to move headquarters from Chicago to Virginia

I was always puzzled by this original move to West Loop area of downtown Chicago. My guess, changes made after the Boeing-McDonnell Douglas marriage in 1997 - finding a new neutral HQ that was not Seattle or St. Louis. While people are decrying the "too cozy with Washington" optics, Boeing does a large amount of work for the DoD, precisely WHY they have had a presence for decades in the Chrystal City area of Arlington with every other major defense contractor. The Pentagon is literally a stone's throw north of their current Arlington facility. I personally don't mind them being physically closer to the regulators (of either side of their business, civilian or defense)-there has been a demonstrated need for closer oversight.

Great job Boeing.

I was told by a Partner at Perkins Coie (Boeing’s Lawyers) that the move to Chicago was prompted by the wife of the then CEO. As told to me, she was a big fan of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the cosmopolitan lifestyle that Chicago offered over Seattle and other cities hoping to snare Boeing’s HQ move. What was overlooked was the fact that they parachuted the Company right into the jurisdiction of Cook County an infamous ‘Judicial Hell Hole’ (widely known in legal circles) where the judges and jury are notoriously ‘pro Plaintiff and where the then majority of Aviation Plaintiff lawyers practiced - it was gift from heaven to them as they didn’t have to fight jurisdiction (forum non-conveniens) to issue against Boeing - they were their right in the backyard, ready to be plucked, so to speak.

Maybe a lack of faith in Chicago's economic downturn since they shifted there.

Boeing now poised to make the same mistake in 2022 that was made in 2001. Moving away from Renton Washington their original base has proved unwise. Now they are doing it again. Net, more facility cost when lack quality control and engineering should be their focus.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/09/business/boeing-headquarters-move/index.html

Very interesting and surprising.

Gotta get on the Contractor Mile if you want to keep friends in high places.