March Air Force Base (AFB), California, a military installation in use almost continually since 1918, served as an active duty aerial refueling and deployment base, and encompassed approximately 6,500 acres. Recommended for realignment by BRAC in 1993, March AFB converted to March Air Reserve Base (ARB) on April 1, 1996, resulting in the surplusing of approximately 4,400 acres of property and a number of buildings. Base realignment resulted in a significant impact to the local economy. The impacts are measured in direct loss of military and civilian jobs, loss of contract spending by the base, and loss of indirect economic activity as a result of the changes. Prior to realignment, the base employed more than 9,000 military personnel and civilian employees. The existence of the base in its pre-realignment condition contributed an estimated $500 million annually to the regional economy.

The March Joint Powers Authority (JPA), formed in 1993 and is charged with the responsibility of base reuse, planning and development including establishing a joint use aviation facility. While base realignment and the associated loss to the region came at an inopportune time, the opportunities relative to the planning and implementation of new uses and providing for unmet needs of the region have arisen. The March JPA is planning and implementing new uses for currently vacant lands, reuse of existing facilities, and joint use of the airfield facilities for the development of an air cargo facility. In short, long-term economic gains in the form of developing a civilian air cargo center, and the growth and development of an employment center to account for 38,000 jobs are projected.