At today’s 1000 Government Relations Virtual Forum hosted by the Defense Alliance of North Carolina Dr. Toney Coleman, Director of the Fayetteville Regional Airport, delivered the message that “airports mean business.” 

Coleman offered a breakdown of the plans that are in place to improve the airport to cater to a greater number of passengers and increase options for fliers into and out of the city. 

Terminal renovation phase II was recently completed, but there are many more developments in the works. Coleman shared the remaining steps in the Airport Capital Improvement Plan which are:

• 2023 Terminal Renovations Phase III                                         >        $2,900,000
• 2022/23 Construct 8-Unit T-Hangar & 14 Unit T-Hangars       >       $4,800,000
• 2024 Design & Construct - Perimeter Fence                             >       $2,180,000
• 2024 Design & Construct Perimeter Service Road                    >          $500,000
• 2024 Environmental & Design - Taxiway F & G Rehab               >       $3,500,000
• 2025 Construct Taxiway F & G                                                     >          $300,000

Coleman affirmed that all of these projects are funded and paid for. 

A proposal has been submitted for a Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Competitive Terminal Grant to acquire funding for the design of a 20,000 square foot International Arrivals Terminal with a related 174,000 square foot concrete ramp.

The proposed benefits of this addition include:

• Increased capacity and passenger access 
• Replace aging infrastructure
• Encourage actual and potential competition
• Good paying jobs

The projected cost for this construction is $27,600,000.

“We don't want our international travelers to have to go to Raleigh when they come back. We want them to come back to Fayetteville,” said Coleman. 

Additionally, Coleman mentioned that the airport is hoping to partner with more airlines. With plans to attend the next JumpStart® Conference in June 2023, Coleman hopes to recruit new airlines to the Fayetteville airport as well as to encourage those airlines that currently only have charter operations to come in as commercial carriers. One priority that Coleman is aware of is the need for a direct flight from Fayetteville to Washington D.C., and he plans to promote that at the conference.