Airport director outlines scaled-back General Aviation Terminal; council presses commission on finances and ownership

Amber Clark, director of the Columbus Airport, told the City Council on Dec. 16 that the General Aviation Terminal (the TIA project) is moving forward with a $25 million TIA allocation but that the terminal building itself has been scaled to an estimated $11–$13 million, with an additional roughly $2 million for environmental and design work. Clark said the project is the result of regional planning, surveys of users and a master‑planning process and that grant funding from the FAA, the U.S. DOT Small Community Air Service Development Grant (SCASDG) and state programs make much of the capital investment possible.

Why it matters: The airport contributes to the local economy through commercial and general‑aviation activity, flight training and cargo operations; choices about the size and phasing of the new terminal, plus hangar development and marketing to carriers, affect jobs, airport revenue and how the city leverages grant funds.

Clark said the 2020 statewide economic study showed the Columbus Airport produced about $94.5 million in economic impact, supported roughly 711 jobs and generated approximately $4 million in tax revenue. She described revenue mix and recent…