It could take up to five years before Huntsville will fully benefit economically from U.S. Space Command should the headquarters be moved here, according to city officials.

Should the headquarters be moved to the Rocket City as members of Alabama’s congressional delegation expect, the city is prepared, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle and City Urban and Economic Director Shane Davis told the City Council on Thursday night.

“If you remember when we were in the competition for it, it was set up as a six year project,” Battle said in response to question from District 4 City Councilman Bill Kling. “I think now we’re looking at a four-year project. It does have a ramp up period.”

Kling had asked Davis if the announcement could give the city an economic boost at a time when city departments have been asked to trim 1% of their budgets due to sales tax revenue coming in lower than projected so far this fiscal year.

“No one at city hall has a crystal ball,” Davis said. “That’s not a decision we get to make. Certainly, we put our best foot forward in the RFP (request for proposal) response about our community’s readiness for Space Command. We’ve been ready for five years.”

Should Huntsville be selected, Davis told Kling, “I don’t think you’ll see an immediate influx because that is a combative command.”

“So, you’re not going to move pieces of that, and there is preparation on Redstone Arsenal to actually relocate,” Davis said. “So, I think it would be three, four or five years when you’ll see that influx and impact on the economy.”

U.S. Rep. Dale Strong, R-Monrovia, said earlier this month that a relocation of Space Command could mean 1,700 direct jobs and an additional 3,000 spinoff jobs in north Alabama.

Kling said members of the congressional delegation told Huntsville city leaders during the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber’s trip to Washington D.C. recently that they expected an announcement by the end of this month. Strong and U.S. Sens. Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt said they expected an announcement soon after the Senate confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee as Air Force secretary.

Should the announcement come, Davis said, “that type of news does create consumer confidence of what the future looks like in our community.”

“I would imagine if we did have such an announcement, the bond rating agencies would look fondly at the city of Huntsville for the future,” Kling added.