Textron Systems Completes $3.4 Million Purchase of Slidell Business Campus

Property Sale Supports Textron Systems’ Planned Expansion and Ends the City’s Maintenance Responsibilities

Textron Systems has completed its $3.4 million purchase of the city-owned business campus at 1010 Gause Boulevard, securing long-term control of a property where the defense contractor has operated for years.

The City of Slidell announced the completed transaction on July 29. City and company representatives signed the final sale documents earlier in the month, according to the announcement.

Mayor Randy Fandal said the purchase reflects Textron Systems’ continued confidence in Slidell and removes the cost of maintaining the property from city taxpayers. The city will receive $3.4 million from the sale, although officials have not announced a detailed plan for how all of the proceeds will be spent.

City officials said the money could be directed toward infrastructure improvements and other municipal priorities.

The purchase follows Textron Systems’ April announcement of a $5.8 million investment across its two Slidell locations. Louisiana Economic Development said the company plans to invest $5.3 million in facility improvements and workforce growth at the Gause Boulevard campus.

Another $500,000 is planned for Textron Systems’ Stone Road operation, where employees support engineering, testing and systems integration for next-generation armored vehicle programs.

The two Slidell projects are expected to create 111 direct jobs with an average annual salary of $95,600, according to Louisiana Economic Development. State officials estimate the expansion could also support 197 indirect jobs.

Work at the Gause Boulevard facility is expected to begin during 2026 and continue into 2027. Operations are expected to remain active during construction.

Ryan Schaffernocker, senior vice president of Air, Land and Sea Systems at Textron Systems, said the property investment will strengthen the company’s ability to serve U.S. military and international customers while supporting local employment and economic activity.

A Property Connected to Slidell’s Aerospace History

The Gause Boulevard campus has served several government and commercial purposes since it was built in the early 1960s.

The facility originally operated as NASA’s Eastern Operations Support Center, providing computer and data support during the early years of the nation’s space program. Its work complemented operations at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and what is now NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.

The property later housed the Defense Information Systems Agency. The federal government transferred it to the City of Slidell through a quitclaim donation in late 1994, and the city subsequently developed the location into a business campus used by multiple tenants.

Textron Systems has maintained a presence in southeastern Louisiana since 1980. Its regional operations support military vehicle, marine and other defense programs.

Why This Matters in Slidell

The completed sale places the Gause Boulevard property in the hands of a longtime tenant preparing to make additional investments in the site. It also provides Slidell with sale proceeds while ending the city’s responsibility for the campus’s continuing maintenance costs.

The planned jobs are especially significant because their reported average salary is 61% higher than the average wage in St. Tammany Parish. The expansion could create opportunities for engineers, technicians, manufacturing workers and other skilled employees while increasing business activity along the Gause Boulevard corridor.

The project also strengthens Slidell’s position in the regional defense industry, with the city located between major military and aerospace operations in New Orleans and coastal Mississippi.