Board approves Flight Path Aviation lease and Delamir expansion incentives, citing jobs and local payroll gains

Hernando County commissioners on April 22 approved two separate economic development items aimed at retaining and expanding local manufacturing and aviation services.

Flight Path Aviation Services: The board approved a request from Flight Path Aviation, which operates aircraft maintenance, parts and service at the Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport, to transfer a county-owned hangar (appraised at $20,000) in lieu of a cash incentive and to enter a new ground lease for roughly 302,300 square feet of airport property. Owner Jeff Smith told commissioners the company expects to expand to two 10,000-square-foot corporate hangars and to grow from 3 to 12 full‑time employees over three years, with an average salary above the county average.

Delamir Industries: Commissioners also approved a performance-based jobs incentive for Delamir Industries, a metal fabrication firm that produces FDOT guardrail and related products. Delamir plans a staged expansion to add 45 employees over three years; the company reported 70 current employees and an average wage above the county mean. The board approved a $5,000-per-job incentive paid over five years after documented hires, for a total not-to-exceed incentive of $225,000. Economic development staff said funds are available in the county—s economic incentive fund and that the award requires documented wage and hire verification before payments are released.

Why it matters: Both approvals are examples of the county—s use of targeted, performance-based incentives to retain and expand employers that generate higher-than-average wages and local tax revenues. Flight Path—s hangar redevelopment will move a deteriorated county structure back into productive use and place capital improvements on the company—s tax roll. Delamir—s incentive ties payments to jobs actually created and to the county—s existing incentive policy.

What commissioners said: Commissioner Champion moved approval for Flight Path and praised the firm—s decision to expand locally: "This is a win-win for Hernando County," he said. Commissioner Lockhart and others noted the requirement that incentive payments are only released after the company documents hires and payroll.

Ending: Both items passed unanimously. Staff will finalize ground lease details for flight-path and will monitor Delamir—s hiring milestones before releasing incentive payments.