Boise’s Gowen Field has lost its bid to be the future home of F-35 stealth fighter jets. U.S. Air Force officials announced Thursday they had chosen National Guard bases in Alabama and Wisconsin as their preferred locations.
According to the Air Force, Gowen Field and Air Guard facilities in Florida and Michigan were reasonable alternatives but ultimately not selected as preferred options. The decision ends an ongoing battle among Boise residents split on the benefits of an F-35 base.
Supporters, including Governor Butch Otter and other state lawmakers, said the base would help stimulate Idaho’s economy and help secure the future of Gowen Field.
Critics countered that the loud jets would ruin property values and possibly damage the health of those neighboring the base. (AP)
