Our Montrose County Regional Airport — one of our best assets for economic development and our quality of life — is expanding. Some 22 years after its construction and opening, the renovated terminal will have more terminal space, additional passenger space (and bathrooms) in the TSA-secured “sterile” area, and room to expand an additional commercial airline counter.
The project will cost $3.2 million with most of the funds coming from state and federal grants. The county will kick in $170,000. Airport director Lloyd Arnold is expecting increased airport business in 2010 of $134,000, so the financial impact to the county could be negligible.
The “economic footprint” of MTJ is considerable. More than $104,000 is paid to airport-related salaries. More than $329,000 annually rotates into the local economy from the airport.
Some history. The airport’s first commercial flight was in 1946. In 1988, Gen. Chuck Yeager came to town and dedicated the terminal that was designed by Montrose architect Patrik Davis. (Davis is also designing the expansion.) In 1992, a 10,000 foot runway was completed which allows large private and commercial jets the access to land and do business here. In a day and age when many regional airports are closing their doors citing the recession, ours is expanding with an eye towards the future.
There’s open house today and tomorrow for the public where airport officials will explain what’s ahead.
• Today/Friday: 12 noon to 5 p.m.
• Saturday: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
MTJ — one more reason, again, to why Montrose is a city on the rise.
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