Kansas City, Mo. ? Kansas and Missouri officials are working to persuade the Marine Corps not to move its data center to New Orleans.

The data center in south Kansas City provides 400 high-paying jobs, with employees living in both states. The center pays Marines and handles other finance and personnel functions.

Kansas City Mayor Sly James was in Washington D.C. recently, where he asked the Marine Corps to keep the operation in its current location. Congressional delegations and governors from Kansas and Missouri also have written the Marine Corps commandant to argue Kansas City’s case.

The Kansas City Star reports that New Orleans is making an aggressive pitch to lure the plant to the city’s Federal City redevelopment project, which includes a Marine Forces Reserve headquarters in a Marine Corps Support compound.