The City of Vicksburg has taken its first formal steps toward exploring the potential decommissioning and sale of the Vicksburg Municipal Airport, authorizing both professional advisory services and the initiation of discussions with the Federal Aviation Administration.
During the Dec. 24 meeting, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved a task order allowing Mayor Willis Thompson to execute an agreement with Neel-Schaffer for project management and advisory services tied to a potential economic development project at the airport. The Hourly Not-To-Exceed Fee is capped at $50,000.
City Attorney Kim Nailor said the task order allows Neel-Schaffer engineer Graham Coffelt to serve as a project manager and adviser as the city evaluates possible economic development opportunities involving the airport.
“This is for Neel-Schaffer, their engineer, Graham Coffelt, to serve as a project manager, just to give the city advice on some potential economic development opportunity at the airport,” Nailor said.
The board also authorized Thompson to submit a letter to the FAA formally initiating the fact-finding process required to decommission the airport. Thompson stressed the action does not commit the city to closing or selling the airport but allows officials to determine what federal obligations would need to be addressed if a proposed project moves forward.
“This project could potentially purchase the airport and allow us to resolve our FAA obligations,” Thompson said. “It’s for a multi-million dollar, probably a billion-dollar project, that wants to be located at the airport.”
Thompson said the city must first make its intentions known to the FAA to begin evaluating what would be required to remove the airport from the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems, be released from federal grant obligations and ultimately close and sell the property for industrial development.
“At this point, it’s just a fact-finding effort to find out what it would take, what our responsibilities are, if the project, indeed, proceeds,” Thompson said.
In the letter addressed to the FAA, the city outlines its intent to request removal of Vicksburg Municipal Airport from the NPIAS, release from all federal land-use and grant obligations, and eventual closure and sale of the property. The city commits to submitting extensive documentation, including a full grant history, land ownership maps, legal opinions, appraisals, environmental reviews and a plan to repay any unamortized federal funds.
The letter also notes the city’s intent to reinvest airport revenue into Vicksburg Tallulah Regional Airport, a co-sponsored facility, and to demonstrate that the community’s aeronautical needs can be met by nearby airports.
Under Task Order No. 10, Neel-Schaffer would manage and oversee coordination with the FAA, the Mississippi Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division and other agencies, and would compile the formal decommissioning request package if the city elects to proceed. The scope includes public participation workshops tied to any required notices but excludes engineering, environmental and appraisal services.
Neel-Schaffer’s proposal anticipates services extending through Dec. 31, 2027, if needed.
City officials said additional approvals would be required before any final decision is made to decommission or sell the airport.