Boeing headquarters moving out of Chicago to Northern Virginia, company announces

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Boeing announced Thursday it will move its global headquarters out of Chicago and Illinois entirely.

In a statement, Boeing said its campus in Arlington, Va., will serve as the company's new global headquarters. Boeing said the move east puts it geographically closer to one of its biggest customers, the Pentagon, and close to the Federal Aviation Administration, which certifies Boeing passenger planes.

In the company's announcement, Boeing said it plans to develop a research ad technology hub in the area to "harness and attract engineering and technical capabilities."

Boeing also plans to develop a research and technology hub in Northern Virginia. The company said it will continue to maintain a "significant presence" in Chicago and the surrounding area.

"We greatly appreciate our continuing relationships in Chicago and throughout Illinois. We look forward to maintaining a strong presence in the city and the state," said Boeing president and CEO Dave Calhoun in the announcement.

It was not immediately clear how much impact the move would have on Boeing's employees in the city.

Boeing has based its headquarters in Chicago for the last 20 years, after moving from its original headquarters in Seattle in 2001.

In a statement, Illinois Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth expressed their disappointment with the announcement.

"Boeing's decision to leave Illinois is incredibly disappointing--every level of government in our state has worked to make Chicago and Illinois the perfect home for Boeing's headquarters for the past 20 years. We are working together to ensure Boeing leadership both understands how harmful this move will be and does everything possible to protect Illinois's workers and jobs," the statement read.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot also released a statement on the move, saying, "Chicago is a world-class city and in the last year, 173 corporations relocated or expanded here, and 67 corporations have made that same decision since the start of 2022. While Boeing has decided to move their headquarters to another city, they will still maintain a presence in Chicago. We have a robust pipeline of major corporate relocations and expansions, and we expect more announcements in the coming months. What remains to be true is that Chicago is a major hub for global corporations that recognize our diverse workforce, expansive infrastructure, and thriving economy."