Grand Opening Expected In Mid-2008

With little more than a year to go, work on Joplin Regional Airport's 50-year-old terminal replacement project is progressing right on schedule.

Airport Manager Steve Stockam told the Carthage (MO) Press most of the steel skeleton for the building is in place and workers are installing the internal utilities, insulation and wall frames.

The FAA announced last month it had released another $3.5 million in funding to pay for new ramps and taxiways to the new terminal, which is located off Missouri Highway 43 on the north end of the airport.

"This is truly a regional facility," Stockam said. "The commercial cargo and passenger carriers at this airport feed southwest Missouri over to Monett and down to Arkansas, then in northeast Oklahoma and southeast Kansas, including the Pittsburg and Fort Scott areas.

"We see a tremendous draw to this airport and it is a regional airport, built for everyone in the area," he said.

Carthage Chamber of Commerce executive Director John Bode concurs.

"It's the closest significant airport to Carthage," Bode said. "It's important to regional growth and we're part of this region. If people ask us about airports, that's one of the main ones we recommend."

According to Stockam, Mesa Airlines, which serves the airport with three flights daily to Kansas City and two daily flights to Dallas, is working to add a fourth flight to Kansas City in the next few weeks.

"We boarded almost 600 people on flights to Kansas City and we're just at the middle of the month," Stockam reported at an April 19 Airport Board meeting. "We're averaging 17 passengers a flight on 19-passenger airplanes. We had three days last week where we had no empty seats."

Ninety-five percent of the funds for the $18 million project come from the FAA with fie percent from the city of Joplin. Monies received will also be used to build a new control tower on the east side of the airport away from the terminal.

Once construction on the new terminal is completed, the existing building will be used as general aviation offices. Stockam said approximately a dozen Carthage residents house their aircraft at Joplin Regional Airport so far.

JLN is also home to Air Fest Joplin which is scheduled for June 29 and 30.

FMI: www.jlnairport.com