News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
A lease agreement for hangars could by voted on by the Upper Cumberland Regional Airport next month
Airport Manager Dean Selby said the airport would serve as a base for two to six large jet aircrafts.
“Businesses that do charter operations that before they would have to have brought aircraft in from other bases,” Selby said. “From Nashville and other places where they’re based to operate those routes. So rather than having to bring an aircraft in, the aircraft will already be based here and ready to go.”
Selby said that Tuesday night the airport board approved a negotiation on an extension of terms.
“Because of the massive amount of capital inflow that this company is going to have to put into ramp and asphalt work and some other stuff,” Selby said. “They had asked for some additional term to help compensate them for their financial contribution to the airport. So we’re looking at that and the board agreed that they thought that was a reasonable request.”
Selby said the feeling he has is that if the lease is signed, the airport is looking at construction within the next 12 to 18 months. However, Selby said with the state of the material supply chain, there are expected delays.
“That’s kind of the general, over all feeling of where we’re going with it,” Selby said. “Possibly a little bit longer than a normal project would because of the delays in getting steel and building materials.”
Selby said if finalized, it is another piece benefiting airport operations and fuel sales. Selby said the airport leases the ground where hangars are built, after a certain number of years the building becomes airport property.
