The Tunica County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 18 authorized county officials to sign grant documents to begin design for a runway mill‑and‑overlay at Tunica County Airport, part of a two‑year project to resurface the airfield.
County staff said the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program is providing 95 percent of the funding this year and next, with the Mississippi Department of Transportation covering 2.5 percent and the county responsible for the remaining local share. The board authorized the county attorney to sign the MDOT grant paperwork that starts the design phase.
Airport manager Miss Warner (presenting) said the runway has reached the end of its useful life and that a mill‑and‑overlay is now required; seal coating is no longer sufficient. Engineers working with the county recommended doing design work this year and construction next year. The design will determine whether resurfacing will cover the current 7,000‑foot portion of runway or the full runway length; staff said discussions with prospective tenants and industry contacts are ongoing and could influence final scope.
Board members asked whether the county is marketing the airport for economic development; staff said engineering firm Neil Schafer is coordinating with economic development contacts and that the airport owns several hundred acres that could support hangars, maintenance, repair operations and warehouses. The board approved the grant paperwork by voice vote.
The design phase will proceed immediately; construction timing and exact scope will be determined after design and further FAA review.