Governor Jay Nixon (D) says Boeing will expand its operations in St. Louis County.

The Governor made the announcement during a trade mission in Western Europe.  He told reporters via conference call that Boeing will add a new technology information center to its campus in St. Louis County.  Both Nixon and Boeing officials were in attendance this week at the International Paris Air Show in France.

"The Paris Air Show is a very unique opportunity to not only approve new investments in one of the key sectors of our economy, but also to talk to a lot of folks that do a lot of business in Missouri already," Nixon said.

The new tech center is expected to create 400 new jobs.  The Governor also told reporters that the expansion will allow Boeing to qualify for more state tax breaks.

"Once that new unit is up and operating, it appears they're gonna easily qualify for our Missouri Quality Jobs Act," Nixon said.  "Once they create those jobs, then they'll be entitled for five years to keep a significant portion of their withholding tax."

Nixon is also scheduled to take part in an economic briefing in Belgium later this week.  On Sunday he paid a visit to a World War Two cemetery at Normandy for American soldiers killed during and shortly after the D-Day invasion.

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