Republic Airways Holdings, Inc., an aviation holding corporation that owns six U.S. airlines, will consolidate some of its operations and maintenance functions and establish a major hub in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin governor's office. The move will create up to 800 new jobs, many of them being shifted from facilities in Colorado and New Mexico, and will retain 700 existing positions. The Indianapolis Star reports that the Indiana-headquartered company was considering establishing the hub in Indiana and Colorado. "These investments reaffirm the commitment we've made to the local Milwaukee community since we welcomed Midwest Airlines to the Republic Airlines family, and I would like to thank Governor [Jim] Doyle and the Wisconsin Department of Commerce for making Milwaukee such a great place to do business," says Bryan Bedford, Republic Airways' chair, president, and CEO. The state has offered the company up to $27 million in income and payroll tax credits if it meets agreed-upon goals for investment and job creation and retention.
