Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown on Friday released a statement on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s decision to rescind funding for the tech hub.  

“The U.S. Commerce Department’s decision to rescind promised funding for our regional tech hub delivers an unnecessary setback to the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene region," she said. "This stunning reversal undermines the hard work of public and private partners who have spent years preparing for this investment and the economic opportunities it would bring."

Brown said the decision was a mistake for the regional and national economy. She said the $48 million in tech hub funding was a down payment to secure American competitiveness in aerospace manufacturing. 

“We deserve better, and I am calling on our congressional delegation to join me in demanding the Trump Administration reverse this decision," she said.

Earlier this year, the American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center announced that the test bed and training center would become a reality through the U.S. Department of Commerce Tech Hub award and industry commitments of nearly $50 million.   

The center would combine applied education research, workforce training and advanced production, principally located in a 386,000-square-foot repurposed manufacturing facility near Spokane International Airport.  

The Spokane-Coeur d'Alene Tech Hub would create hundreds of high-paying jobs to work on advanced aerospace materials and equip new airplanes with lightweight aerospace parts that reduce carbon emissions.  

Congress created the Tech Hubs Program in 2022 to strengthen U.S. economic and national security by commercializing the technologies of the future, the release said.

In 2023, a regional partnership of organizations from Washington and Idaho put together a proposal for the U.S. Economic Development Administration. 

North Idaho members of the consortium included the cities of Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls, North Idaho College, the Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber, the Coeur d’Alene Economic Development Corp. and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. 

Lutnick said at his direction, the Commerce Department is revamping the Tech Hubs program to prioritize national security, project quality, benefit to the taxpayer and a fair process. 

The EDA will release a new notice of funding opportunity this summer with the goal of announcing selections in early 2026. 

"To be clear, this decision is not an indictment of the work that the previously selected Tech Hubs are doing," he said. "They can compete for funding alongside all other prospective applicants. This decision is about fairness and making prudent choices with hard earned taxpayer dollars."