Montgomery County and Maryland are experiencing another total humiliation on the economic development front. While both have failed to attract a major new corporate headquarters this century, Fairfax County and Virginia have just beaten them once again in the high-stakes contest for yet another major defense firm HQ. This time it is
Rheinmetall, the German defense giant that is experiencing off-the-charts boom times, as it is arguably the biggest winner in Germany's push to rearm and create Europe's largest and strongest military. It is also one of the companies producing the most equipment for Ukraine in its war with Russia. Rheinmetall has just leased 10,000-square feet at Metro Place II at 2600 Park Tower Drive in Merrifield in Fairfax County, where it will not only locate its U.S. hub, but also one of its U.S. subsidiaries, American Rheinmetall Munitions, Inc.
Beyond the lighter tax and regulation burden of Northern Virginia, a look at the 2600 Park Tower Drive site itself tells much of the tale of Montgomery County's loss. Metro Place II sits directly beside the highway interchange of the Capital Beltway and Interstate 66, along both of which Virginia has invested enormously in tolled Express Lanes. The Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro station is directly across the street from the new Rheinmetall HQ. Just south of the site are US 29 and US 50, as well as the enormously-successful Mosaic District with its retail, restaurants, and movie theater.
A short drive southeast of the new Rheinmetall HQ in Fairfax is perhaps Montgomery County's biggest and most-humiliating economic development loss to Northern Virginia of this century, the Northrop Grumman headquarters. And zooming out on the map, we find one of the biggest factors that brought both defense firms to Fairfax County: direct access to Dulles International Airport. It's the only airport in the region to boast the variety of essential global business destinations - and the frequency of direct flights to them - demanded by international business executives.
One can only shake one's head, and wonder what could have been, had Montgomery County and Maryland had smarter and more-competent leadership this century. Imagine if we had built the new Potomac River crossing, to give all of our increasingly-empty office parks in the I-270 corridor the same kind of direct access to Dulles that Virginia has. Imagine if we had built the Rockville Freeway through North Bethesda, White Flint, Aspen Hill, and Layhill, connecting I-270 with MD 355 and the InterCounty Connector, and passing directly by the many Executive Boulevard area office parks and Pike & Rose. Imagine if we had made our tax and fee burden more competitive with our rivals in the region, and our leaders had used the time they spend opining on national politics on attracting business to our county and state.
Virginia doesn't have to imagine. It's where economic development dreams regularly come true, thanks to the humiliatingly-weak and bumbling efforts on our side of the river. Montgomery County? It's where business goes to die - or flee to nearby jurisdictions before it does.
"We are proud to welcome Rheinmetall to Merrifield in Fairfax County," Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey C. McKay said in a statement. "Our community is a place where groundbreaking innovation, national security, and global collaboration intersect, and this investment represents a powerful statement about the future of defense and technology in our region. Rheinmetall brings a bold vision and cutting-edge capabilities that align with our community’s commitment to supporting mission-driven industries and advancing solutions that keep our nation secure. We are deeply honored that
Rheinmetall has chosen Fairfax County as the hub for their continued growth, as this investment will not only strengthen the strategic national security partnerships that are so vital to global progress, but also the resiliency of our local and regional economies."
"Rheinmetall’s decision to establish significant presence in the Merrifield area of Fairfax County reinforces our position as a premier destination for global defense leaders seeking proximity to federal partners, a deep bench of tech talent, and a collaborative business environment," Fairfax County Economic Development Authority President and CEO Victor Hoskins said. "The opening of our new Washington, D.C., region office spaces underscores our rapid growth and committed investment in Rheinmetall’s U.S. operations," American Rheinmetall Defense CEO Stephen Hedger added.
