By KRWG News
Las Cruces – A $32.5 million contract to build Spaceport America's terminal and hangar facility has been awarded to an Albuquerque firm.
Summit West was the lowest of four bidders on the project.
New Mexico Spaceport Authority executive director Steve Landeene says the bid award is a significant step in the overall construction of the $200 million state-owned spaceport located southeast of Truth or Consequences.
He also says the award will create more jobs. Currently about 200 workers are employed, but as construction ramps up, as many as 600 people will be working on the spaceport.
The three-floor, 110,000-square-foot facility will serve as the headquarters of operations for the spaceport's anchor tenant, Britain-based Virgin Galactic, as well as for the Spaceport Authority.
Work is expected to begin in mid-December.
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Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.