Drew Powell ABC 7 NEWS
New Airport Hangar Hopes to Land New Business to Lift Economy
March 10, 2015
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  • DUMAS, TEXAS — The Moore County Regional Airport is expanding services. If all goes as planned, additional corporate jets and small planes will be flying in and out of the airport in the future. To accomplish that feat, additional services need to be offered.

    With the help of a more than $2,000,000 expansion project, it will enable the airport to have additional amenities.

    “We’re in the process of building a new hangar,” said Brandon Cox, Airport Manager. “Hopefully it’s going to be for a maintenance facility doing mechanical work on aircraft.”

    The executive director of the Dumas Economic Development Corporation Mike Running said a new business with 10 employees has an economic impact of $25 million after five years.

    He said the investment to expand the airport services is an investment for the future.

    “We see an opportunity to put in a hangar here to attract and entice new businesses to come in and leave at a nominal rate,” said Running. “They can come in, set up business, and, in turn, we’re creating jobs and more economic activity in town.”

    Helping the airport with plans to offer more services is the location. The airport is in close proximity to the halfway point between the west coast and the east coast.

    “Moore County is growing,” said Rowdy Rhodes, Moore County judge. “There are all kinds of businesses here. You have every type of farming industry and it’s just more efficient and feasible for them to fly, especially long distance. They can come here, do their business, and be back home to eat supper.”

    Construction on the project is expected to start in May of this year.

    The county is helping to cover cost for the project by contributing around $600,000. The rest of the funding is coming from state and federal funds.

    http://www.connectamarillo.com/news/story.aspx?id=1175661#.VQBGlWTF8m8