McKinney National Airport officials outline major projects and terminal plan; some residents say voters rejected commercial service
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Summary
City and airport officials presented runway extensions, apron rehabilitation and a proposed proof‑of‑concept terminal for limited commercial service; a public commenter said voters had rejected commercial airline service in 2023 and voiced opposition to using development corporations as interim funding sources.
City officials and the McKinney National Airport team gave a detailed update on Feb. 28, 2025, describing more than $140 million in airport infrastructure projects, ongoing private investment and a proof‑of‑concept plan for a small commercial terminal — while at least one resident used the meeting to object to any move toward scheduled airline service.
The airport presentation said McKinney National Airport is a federally designated "national" general aviation airport with heavy recent growth. "The airport is self sustaining today. It doesn't require funds from the McKinney General Fund to support its operations," the presenter said, adding that the airport has about a $16,000,000 annual operating budget and that the airport's economic output was just under $300,000,000 in 2023.
Projects described by airport staff include completed and active runway work: a 500‑foot southern extension finished in 2023 and mobilization of a north extension to reach an 8,000‑foot runway once finished. Collin County contributed $30,000,000 toward the latest work, the presenter said. The airport also has an apron expansion (about $10,000,000 total, largely federally funded), ongoing corporate hangar projects (Cirrus — about $14,500,000 — and another corporate hangar project modeled to produce about $1,100,000 in annual gross revenue) and a newly built customs facility.
The presenter said the airport had generated $3,700,000 in ad valorem tax revenue in 2023 and that about $28,000,000 in total tax revenue had flowed to local taxing entities over the prior decade. Private investment at the field, such as maintenance facilities and hangars, was presented as contributing jobs and taxable assets.
Officials also described a scaled terminal concept intended as a “proof of concept” for day‑one airline needs: a roughly 45,000‑square‑foot terminal with about five aircraft parking positions, concessions and baggage claim designed to serve initial commercial operations. The presenter said the city and its Economic Development Corporation and Community Development Corporation had contributed more than $5,000,000 for design work on the east side infrastructure needed to support commercial service, and that the smaller initial infrastructure package for airline service was projected at about $75,000,000 compared with an earlier, larger plan that had been priced near $300,000,000.
During the public‑comment portion of the meeting, a resident said McKinney voters rejected a 2023 bond for airport expansion and that the city should not proceed toward commercial service. The resident characterized the 2023 bond result as a 58‑to‑42 defeat on a $200,000,000 bond measure and said the city or development corporations were acting like a bank to continue airport improvement projects. "The citizens voted against the commercial airport. You can't have it both ways," the resident said.
Airport presenters noted the field supports business aviation, medical flights, law enforcement and recreation, and said the planned investments are intended to sustain general aviation while enabling initial commercial operations if carriers commit. Officials said customs facilities generally are not revenue generators but are intended to attract international operators required by some businesses.
No final decision to begin scheduled passenger air service was announced at the meeting. Airport staff said many projects are already under contract or in construction and that the city will continue to report on design and construction milestones.
