Wichita ? Boeing Co. will build the forward fuselage section of its proposed 7E7 jetliner in Kansas, a decision that was not influenced by $500 million in bonds the state offered to finance the project at the company’s Wichita plant, Boeing said Thursday.

Mike Bair, senior vice president at Boeing, said the state’s bond money would just end up being a general obligation on the Boeing balance sheet. He said the company was still sorting through the state’s offer.

“We clearly recognized their efforts … and what that says about the business climate in Kansas and how supportive they were,” Bair said. “The actual loan really did not influence the decision — in fact, one of the things we continue to work on is whether that loan is really going to be usable.”

Dick Ziegler, a spokesman for Boeing in Wichita, said Bair’s comments do not in any way minimize the impact of the Legislature and the governor’s decision to offer the $500 million in bond authority.

“It sent a very strong signal to the company about Kansas’ willingness to do business,” Ziegler said.

Government officials were quick to credit the bond authority for Boeing’s decision before finding out the money did not, apparently, play a factor.

“I am pleased our efforts during the Legislative session helped bring this work to our strong Boeing Wichita plant,” Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said in an early statement.

After learning of Bair’s comments, Lt. Gov. John Moore said he believed the bonding bill put the state in a good position when Boeing began planning for where the work would be done.

“The question is whether or not they want to put it on the books,” said Moore, a former Cessna executive. “The answer is, it’s available if they want it.”

Dick Ziegler, spokesman for Boeing in Wichita, answers questions during a news conference while sitting in front of a promotion for the new 7E7 Dreamliner airplane at the plant in Wichita. Boeing announced Thursday that its plant in Wichita will build the forward fuselage section of the plane.

Boeing has yet to announce where it will build the 7E7’s engine nacelles and struts. Boeing’s Wichita plant, which builds them for other Boeing aircraft, is a strong contender to get that piece of work.

It remains unclear how many jobs the 7E7 work will mean in Wichita. Boeing said Thursday it was too early to talk about job numbers.

Boeing already builds the nose sections of the 737, 747, 767 and 777 models in Wichita.

What makes the 7E7 work different is that Wichita will build not just the empty nose shell, but a “fully stuffed” section — complete with air conditioning, electrical wiring and other components.

Boeing also said Thursday it would base design and development work for the 7E7 at its massive Everett, Wash., manufacturing complex, but Japanese suppliers would build more than a third of the aircraft.