The City of Manhattan broke ground on the $15.8 million terminal expansion project at Manhattan Regional Airport, Friday morning.
The project will be completed in two phases and once complmete, nearly quadruple the size of the current terminal from 12,500 square ft. to 42,000 square ft. The Weits Company LCC from Lenexa, Kansas is the general contractor for the project.
A majority of the project will be funded through grants form the Federal Aviation Administration and the City of Manhattan.
“The FAA is going to fund 7.8 million dollars and the local match is just about $2 million. And it’s going to be coming from the economic development fund, the interest and bond fund, but we are going to augment that with the passenger facility fees that we get from the airport and the passengers as part of their ticket price,” said John Matta, Mayor.
The due to budgetary concerns, the FAA recommended that Manhattan break the project into two phases.
“In every instance that I know where the FAA has started down a path of funding the first phase, they’ve been a solid partner in continuing that funding into the second or additional phases,” said Jerry Moran, U.S. Senator from Manhattan.
The expanded terminal will better accommodate passengers on American Eagle’s daily flights to Chicago O’Hare, Dallas-Fort Worth; and twice-weekly flights to Phoenix-Mesa Airport on Allegiant Air, starting November 7th.
