The facts are few, but for one of Atlanta’s toniest suburbs and most lively OTP downtowns, the possibilities seem endless. 

On Monday morning, in Room 220 at Roswell City Hall, Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson is scheduled to hold a press briefing before metro Atlanta media, alongside government and corporate officials. 

The topic: news on a “major economic development initiative” and “exciting opportunity” for the growing North Fulton County city of roughly 92,000, according to City of Roswell officials. 

But what could it be? 

The only other clues provided in advance by city officials read as follows: The announcement involves “the establishment of a new company headquarters that will bring significant investment and job growth to the city.” (Atlanta lost out, for better or worse, on the Amazon HQ2 sweepstakes, so could it be HQ3? A new NHL team? Coca-Cola finally cashing out on its holdings near Georgia Tech and heading OTP? IKEA North?)

Alongside Wilson, several executives from the mystery company will be on hand Monday to “provide additional insights into the project” and describe how it’s expected to impact the Roswell community.

Roswell's Canton Street, a food, beverage, and shopping destination. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The Southern Post project's frontages along Alpharetta Street today.Courtesy of Armada Hoffler

Roswell has taken lumps in years past for being overly resistant to change, but that hasn’t stopped city-altering development from moving forward. 

Most notably that includes the multi-building, shopping-center remake that is the Southern Post district, along with the Chambray Hotel project and the city’s first food hall, among other projects. 

Surely all that investment activity and new walkable dimensions around Canton Street’s popular food-and-beverage zone are enticing for a “major” company wanting in on the Roswell buzz. But who could it be? 

UPDATE: 1:26 p.m., Feb. 3: The cat's out of the bag, and Roswell city officials send the following release: 

Roswell, Ga. (Feb. 3, 2025) — The City of Roswell will soon become home to PBS Aerospace, a major manufacturer of world-class small turbojet engines based in the Czech Republic. The company will invest up to $20 million to establish its North American headquarters, manufacturing, and research and development (R & D) operations in Roswell.

“We are excited to welcome PBS Aerospace to Roswell! Not only will this support the city’s workforce and economic development goals, but it also positions Roswell as a key player in the aerospace, advanced air mobility, and AI industries,” said Mayor Kurt Wilson. 

PBS Aerospace plans to move into an existing building at 1350 Northmeadow Parkway, not far from the intersection of SR-9 and Hembree Road. The company anticipates full operations, which will include the assemble of small aircraft engines, to begin in April 2025. PBS will also construct a new, permanent facility at the Tech Village North site in Roswell.

The company plans to hire approximately 150 professionals within a five-year period with an average annual salary of $150,000. The career opportunities include positions for aerospace engineers and technicians, quality assurance technicians, warehouse inventory positions, business development and operations professionals, finance and legal positions, and directors of supply chain, quality, engineering, and production.

PBS Aeorspace’s decision to locate in the City of Roswell was a direct result of a trade mission that City officials took to the Czech Republic in October 2024. While attending the MSV International Engineering Fair in Brno, City Councilmember Christine Hall, Government and Community Affairs Manager Katrina Singletary, and city consultant Peter Sorkoff met with PBS leadership and made a compelling case that Roswell would be the best location for their U.S. headquarters and assembly plant. Following the trade mission, PBS leadership visited Roswell, toured potential sites for the facility, and met with Mayor and City Council to discuss their vision.

Although PBS Aerospace was considering three locations in the United States—Texas, Florida, and Georgia—Roswell stood out as the ideal choice thanks to the City’s unique, strategic advantages. These include proximity to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, access to major highways to facilitate logistics and distribution, and close ties to leading universities, which provide a talent pipeline for the company’s long-term growth.

“We look forward to building our new Roswell factory, which will produce the world’s most advanced small turbojet engines designed to meet the needs of the U.S. Department of Defense,” said Erin Durham, CEO of PBS Aerospace. “This move aligns seamlessly with our larger growth strategy, which focuses on partnering with Georgia’s extensive manufacturing, aerospace, and defense sectors.”

To further solidify Roswell’s proposal, the City offered PBS a robust incentive package designed to complement the State of Georgia’s incentives. This package includes a dedicated project manager to ensure a seamless transition, a 10-year phase-in tax abatement designed to reduce upfront costs, and a ground lease option that offers flexibility for the permanent build site.

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