Colorado Springs is trying to make the city the most attractive site for aerospace, defense and advanced technology manufacturers, and it is building out the infrastructure to support those endeavors.

At Peak Innovation Park, a massive swath of land just south of the Colorado Springs Airport, construction has begun on two massive industrial buildings. The first building will feature more than 120,000 square feet and the second will have more than 130,000. Neither building has a tenant, however, and officials are falling back on the adage of “build it and they will come.”

Minnesota based Opus Group will spearhead the development. Larry Pobuda, the company’s executive vice president and general manager, acknowledged starting such a large and expensive, estimated at $63 million, development with no tenants lined up is a risk. But he emphasized Opus taking this risk is indicative of the group’s confidence in the region.

“We believe in Colorado Springs and the great economic tailwinds that you all have created over many years of planning and vision,” said Pobuda. “(Opus is) a diverse commercial real estate developer. … Industrial and multifamily are at our core today, given the market dynamics, and of course, that’s what we’re bringing here to Colorado Springs.”

The two speculative buildings are the first phase of what Opus hopes to bring to the more than 18 acres they own in Peak Innovation Park. The two buildings will only take up about 5 acres of space.

This, combined with El Paso County and Colorado Springs’ success last year with attracting major business expansions, encourages Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer, the president and CEO of the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC.

Additionally, this new construction for aerospace, defense and advanced manufacturing comes as the city and county are looking to move on from President Donald Trump’s decision to relocate Space Command to Alabama. Space Command brings together service members from across the branches to protect U.S. satellites 62 miles above Earth that enable communications, provide GPS, collect intelligence, and monitor for missile attacks.

The move, announced by Trump in September, prompted Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser to file a lawsuit seeking to halt the move. In its opposition to the lawsuit, the chamber said the interests of Colorado Springs and El Paso County were not considered. The chamber is looking to move on and collaborate with the administration future endeavors, with an eye especially toward the promise of the Golden Dome missile shield.

“It’s important to build partnership with our federal government, with other states, because that’s how we’ll be able to expand things like our defense industry,” Reeder Kleymeyer said Thursday. “Those things don’t happen in silos and they don’t stop at state borders. The last thing we want to do is not be at the table.”

The new development is a promising start, showcasing people’s willingness to invest in the city and region, she said. The development is worth about $63 million, a news release from Opus Group said.

And it may be a critical component in attracting new businesses, which consider what kinds of land is available for them when expanding or moving, Reeder Kleymeyer said.

The city and region are already competing to attract an unnamed aerospace company looking to expand its business with the Department of Defense. Last week, the state Office of Economic Development and International Trade approved a $2 million job growth incentive for the company, which may add 150 jobs.

“This development gives our aerospace, defense, advanced manufacturing and innovation driven industries exactly what they need,” said Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade. “When we attract and retain industries like these, we create high paying and high-quality jobs.”