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Evansville Airport authority outlines new routes, capital work and higher operating costs for 2025 budget
Summary
At a Sept. 4 public hearing, Evansville Airport Authority Executive Director Nate Hahn reported new routes (Orlando, St. Pete year‑round, Chicago) and described a 2025 budget with higher marketing and security costs, parking expansion and capital projects including a new maintenance facility and general aviation terminal; budget adoption is scheduled for Oct. 2.
Nate Hahn, executive director of the Evansville Airport Authority, briefed the Vanderburgh County Council Sept. 4 on the authority’s 2025 proposed budget and recent operational changes.
Hahn said the airport has launched or relaunched service to Orlando and St. Petersburg and resumed daily Chicago service with American Airlines (two daily Chicago rotations). He credited FAA incentive arrangements and local business support for airline growth and said maintaining passenger loads is critical to keeping routes.
On capital work, Hahn reported a completed parking‑lot expansion, a new maintenance facility to house larger snow‑removal and runway‑maintenance equipment, and a new general‑aviation terminal and hangar under construction on the field’s west side. He said most large equipment purchases can be funded through FAA grants.
Hahn said the authority has increased marketing spending because its FAA incentive program includes marketing incentives, and security‑service costs have risen significantly. Hahn noted the airport’s covered solar canopy reduces electric costs, though he did not provide a precise savings figure at the hearing. He said a full replacement of the terminal baggage system would likely cost between $8 million and $12 million and that staff are applying for federal grants to address that need.
Hahn also described a rainy‑day balance of about $9.4 million, much of it related to federal CARES Act funds obligated for construction projects; part of those funds are already committed to the new maintenance facility. The presentation was informational — the airport’s budget is scheduled for council approval on Oct. 2.
Council members asked about snow‑removal capability, de‑icing operations, compressor/crane systems planned at the new facility, the potential to attract additional flights through improved winter operations, and baggage‑carousel delays (Hahn said airlines control ramp staffing and baggage handling and that some federal programs might support belt replacement). Hahn said he would provide written warranty information for a roofing project discussed earlier in the meeting.
No public comment was recorded during the airport hearing; the council closed the hearing and will consider the airport budget on Oct. 2.
