Scott air base finalist for new support center

MASCOUTAH — An Air Force base in southwestern Illinois has been named one of 10 finalists for a newly created installation and mission support center.

Scott Air Force base just east of St. Louis should know in January if it's chosen for the center that will report to the Scott-based Air Force Materiel Command, the Belleville News-Democrat reported Wednesday.

The number of jobs potentially created by the new center was not immediately released.

Scott also is a finalist for the planned relocation of the 3,000-worker National Geospatial Agency, which now is located near downtown St. Louis.

The Air Force recently announced that Scott will receive two new cyber-security squadrons, which will include 300 new jobs and $16 million in building expansions and renovations. Those squadrons are to be in place by the summer of 2016.