After six years of construction, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s new $1.75 billion “west campus” — lauded as the largest federal investment in St. Louis history — opened Friday.

Regional leaders and national security officials celebrated the long-in-the-making opening of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency West Campus in a moment they hope serves as a turning point for north St. Louis and the surrounding region.

“Thousands of people will be coming here daily and the impact will ripple outward through new jobs, housing, small businesses and opportunities for our neighborhoods,” said U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell, D-St. Louis County. “This facility cements St Louis as a cornerstone of our nation's defense industry.”

The NGA specializes in geospatial intelligence, studying da

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