Bell Helicopter inches nearer to incentives for half-billion dollar Fort Worth plant

Bell Textron Inc. is considering investing $429 million to establish a new advanced manufacturing plant in Alliance in north Fort Worth, according to its application for the state’s incentive program. The building, formerly occupied by Stanley Black and Decker, is one of several sites across three states the company is considering. (Screenshot | Bell JETI application)
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Bell Textron Inc. could be closer to investing as much as $429 million in a new advanced manufacturing plant at Alliance in north Fort Worth after the Texas Comptroller’s office recommended the approval of the company’s application for a state economic incentive program. 

In its letter recommending approval, the comptroller’s office said the company indicated it had competing incentive offers from other states. 

Fort Worth-based Bell Helicopter applied for a 10-year reduction in property taxes under the Jobs, Energy, Technology and Innovation Act, the economic incentive program that lawmakers created to replace Chapter 313. 

Bell Helicopter, a subsidiary of Textron Inc., said in its application it would commit to creating 75 jobs with an average annual wage of $69,784, with an estimated capital investment of $429 million. By the end of the 10-year period, it says the plant could create an estimated 411 jobs with a $600 million capital investment. 

The company is considering the expansion ofusing and expanding a 47,373-square-foot building at 15100 N. Beach St., previously occupied by Stanley Black & Decker Tooling, for “a large-scale and multi-decade advanced aerospace manufacturing production operation capable of producing several aerospace products,” according to its application for state incentives. The site is one of several Bell has evaluated across three states, including Texas, according to the application. 

“Bell regularly assesses facility sites that will meet future business needs,” the company said in a statement. “Following the FLRAA contract award, the company continues to evaluate sites to support large-scale advanced manufacturing operations. Bell is analyzing several locations in multiple states to establish this facility, one of which is located in Fort Worth, but no final decision has been made.”

Bell is also reviewing an offer for a $1 million grant from the city of Fort Worth and is preparing an application for almost $2.7 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund, a state “deal-closing” grant, according to the application. 

Bell, headquartered in Fort Worth, currently employs more than 4,000 people. In 2022, the Army awarded Bell a massive contract worth millions to build a next-generation attack helicopter, worth $70 billion over decades. Bell opened its $20 million test lab for the new helicopter in Arlington in March. 

Bob Francis is business editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.