St. George » Enthusiasm is soaring among St. George officials over progress being made on a new airport that has been in the works for 20 years.
"We're ahead of schedule and well under budget," said city public works director Larry Bulloch of the $160 million project.
Bulloch and other city officials on Thursday toured the site where the airport has been under construction for a year. Most work so far has been excavation, but the equipment for the instrument landing system was approved by the Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday and next week the concrete pad for the 34,000-square-foot terminal building will be finished so construction on the structure can begin.
Scheduled to open on Jan. 13, 2011, the airport will replace the current facility that sits on a bluff buffeted by unpredictable wind patterns, giving pilots and passengers on SkyWest Airlines, the area's regional carrier, nervous moments at times.
"Its been called the greatest thrill ride in southern Utah," joked Rick Crosman, the airport manager.
The new terminal will accommodate ticket counters, baggage carousel, car rental operations, a welcoming area and offices.
People in the terminal will look west through windows that take in the Pine Valley Mountains, and the facility is being built so it can be easily expanded.
Mayor Dan McArthur said what is being built now is expected to accommodate the needs of the largest city in southern Utah for 20 years.
An area to the east of the site is also being prepared for future development that McArthur said could include manufacturing, aircraft restoration, storage or other aviation-related businesses such as United Parcel Service or Federal Express.
There is also an area for private aviation including sites for at least 50 hangars.
The facility will be reachable from Interstate 15 via a new interchange that is under construction.
City councilwoman Suzanne Allen said the project is being paid for by the FAA from fees collected from airport operations around the country.
Besides commercial operations that will take advantage of the airport, Allen expects tourism will increase, adding to the city's sales tax revenue.
"This is an economic catalyst," she said. "It will also provide jobs for residents and their kids."
Sitting on 1,250 acres, the new airport site is five times bigger than the current facility, which opened in the early 1950s. When finished, the new airport will have a 9,300-foot asphalt runway that can be extended to 11,000 feet in the future. Paving of the runway is expected to begin in March.
