Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett announced Sunday that a multi-billion dollar company could potentially bring thousands of jobs to the city's north side.
REV Group is in the final stage of receiving a huge government contract to build new U.S. Postal Service vehicles. The entire contract would involve about 180,000 new vehicles.
"We are in dire need of jobs in this neighborhood," Barrett said.
REV Group CEO Tim Sullivan has already made a promise to Milwaukee.
"If we got the entire contract, I've already committed to the mayor that we would build a new plant on Century City property here," Sullivan said.
Century City is the name of a new business park owned by the city on the former site of A.O. Smith.
The city bought the 150 acre site in 2009, and then spent $37 million -- largely in taxpayer money -- to clean up and demolish existing buildings to prepare the area for new businesses.
One of the existing buildings is currently being used by Benson Industries to assemble the windows going up on the new Northwestern Mutual building. When that company leaves, REV Group will begin using the building to build a prototype of a new USPS truck.
REV Group is one of six companies chosen by USPS to build that prototype. At the end of 2017, USPS will award a $5 billion contract to either one or multiple companies in that final stage.
That could mean upwards of 2,000 news jobs.
"There's a ready, willing and able workforce within walking distance of this building," Barrett said. "I think that's a powerful selling tool as well."
