Eric Pratt, director of the Mesquite Metro Airport, briefed the City Council on July 7 on the airport’s operating budget, capital projects and long‑range planning as staff prepare the fiscal 2025–26 budget.

Pratt said the airport’s staff consists of 12 employees (eight on the fixed‑base operator side and four for airfield operations) and reminded the council that the airport’s mission is to provide a safe, efficient and environmentally sensitive air transportation facility appropriate to community needs.

He said the airport is in the final phase of a 20‑year airport master plan; the remaining review pending is FAA signoff because of federal staffing delays. Pratt described a separate five‑year strategic plan developed with tenants to guide business development, perimeter access control, land acquisition for future growth and updates to the airport layout plan that are necessary to remain eligible for FAA grants.

On accomplishments and projects, Pratt told council the airport preserved roughly 2.5 acres of concrete pavement to extend asset life and is replacing its automated weather observation system with a state grant ($90% grant) for a roughly $150,000 project. He said a north‑end taxiway and apron design is underway (roughly a $285,000 design cost) to open land for future hangar development; the full construction is estimated at about $2.2 million with FAA participation in recent funding rounds at 95/5 instead of the usual 90/10.

Pratt said operations totaled about 113,968 takeoffs and landings in the previous year—placing Mesquite in the top 30% of towered airports nationwide by operations—and fuel sales year‑to‑date were roughly 299,000 gallons. He identified hangar demand and aging infrastructure as principal challenges and said the city owns roughly 65 acres that could be developed to capture aviation demand.

For fiscal 2026 Pratt presented a high‑level revenue projection of roughly $3.8 million and expenses near $3.4 million, yielding an estimated contribution to the airport fund of about $405,000. Pratt described a proposed FAA‑funded construction project for the taxiway and apron with the city share around $200,000. He also proposed modest fee changes (around $41,000 in additional revenue) including a 2.3% hangar rent adjustment and raising after‑hours fees from $100 to $150 to cover staff overtime.

Council members asked about potential restaurant development and Pratt identified a 3.2‑acre tract near Airport Boulevard as the preferred non‑aeronautical site for a brick‑and‑mortar restaurant and said a private investor would need to take a ground lease to build such an amenity. Councilmember Elizabeth Rodriguez Ross asked whether the airport’s capital outlay would be paid from airport reserves or through city capital improvements; Pratt answered runway/taxiway projects are entered on the capital improvements list and the city would assess reserves or bonding.