Allen County Regional Airport may soon be expanding.
But what does that mean exactly?
To find out more, this Register reporter sat down with Jonathon Goering, economic development director at Thrive Allen County, and Allen County Commissioner, Jerry Daniels, both of whom have been closely involved with the project.
To begin, they suggested that the phrase “airport expansion” is a bit tricky, since the primary goal at this stage is to simply have utilities installed on 24 acres in the northwest corner of the airport property (which is owned by the county).
Bids are currently being sought to see what those utilities might cost, and if the price is right, the next step will be to develop an Airport Master Plan, and to more assertively court those entities that might be interested in building.
“I’m ultra-conservative when it comes to spending taxpayer dollars,” said Daniels. “If it’s too much, we may wait” on the utilities installation. “But as long as it’s reasonable, we have to try.”
And, according to the Kansas Department of Commerce, there likewise exists the possibility that federal funding may soon be available to assist with projects of this kind.
So where’s the impetus for expanding airport utilities coming from?
Consider the following example: Orizon Aerostructures in Chanute, which specializes in manufacturing complex aircraft components.
When Orizon was still anonymous, searching for a building location under the name “Project Bluebook,” the company had wanted airport property on which to develop, explained Daniels.
But because Allen County’s airport didn’t have adequate utilities, this was one reason it was passed over.
“Look to the future,” Daniels said. “What if there’s another Orizon? … I like being prepared.”
That’s especially the case, he added, as securing an industry like Orizon would mean both an improved tax base as well as a significant number of new jobs.
Why would industrial developers choose Allen?
For one, Allen County’s airport has several features that make it attractive to builders, explained Goering.
