Routes and Airports Channel

Privately held Branson Airport set for May opening

By Sandra Arnoult
ATW's Airports Today, April, 2009, p.2

Branson Airport, which claims to be the first privately developed commercial airport in the US, is scheduled to open for business May 11. Branson, Mo., has become a showcase for country music and live theater performances, attracting 8 million visitors to the city each year. An estimated 5.4 million of them travel more than 300 mi. To date, Sun Country Airlines and AirTran Airways have announced service to the city, nestled in the Missouri Ozarks.

"We are targeting everyone and anyone who is still operating," Branson Airport spokesperson Gene Conrad told AT of the effort to attract air service. "Our number one goal is to get low-cost carriers. We are going after whoever wants to fly into this market. And we are doing it aggressively."

The airport features a single 7,140-ft. runway and a 58,000-sq.-ft. terminal that will have capacity for more than 1 million enplanements annually. The terminal will have attached positions for five aircraft that can be extended to accommodate up to 10 737s. It will include a welcome center, self-service kiosks, a passenger ticketing center, concessions, gift shops, a restaurant and rental car counter.

The construction represents one of the largest earthmoving projects in Missouri, with work crews moving more than 11 million cu. yards of earth since ground was broken in June 2007. The $155 million project is being developed by DeWitt and Associates Inc. and is held by a group of investors.

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