Springfield airport cuts ribbon on $6.7M renovation project

The Springfield-Branson National Airport has debuted its newly renovated general aviation terminal, a multimillion-dollar project that started last year.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday morning unveiled the expanded facility at 5000 W. Kearney St., according to an airport announcement. The airport-owned general aviation terminal serves privately owned aircraft and is the site where planes are fueled and serviced.

Nabholz Construction Corp. served as general contractor for the $6.7 million project designed by Dake-Wells Architecture Inc., according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting. Work at the 1990-built facility has nearly doubled its size to 8,923 square feet. Airport spokesperson Kent Boyd said this morning that construction crews are finalizing work that includes touch-up painting and installing wall trim and information technology infrastructure.

"We're sometimes asked why private plane owners should have such a nice facility. One reason is from the perspective of regional business development and retention," Springfield airport officials said in the announcement. "When expanding their companies, business leaders typically use GA flights to visit communities that they might expand in. When they arrive in Springfield, this building is one of the first things they see. It makes a positive, forward-looking statement about our community."

The remodel and expansion project, which comes from airport reserve funds, includes updated restrooms, expansion of the administration area and pilot lounge, as well as the addition of a public community room, according to past reporting.

The GA terminal is roughly 4 miles from the airport’s Roy Blunt Terminal, which is used by commercial passengers.