Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Airport topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Airport director credits First Solar lease for revenue boost; outlines hangar and runway projects
Summary
Airport executive said First Solar lease contributes roughly $1 million annually to airport revenues and outlined multiple projects including an FAA‑funded air‑traffic control tower design, a $74 million hangar project with mixed funding sources and a DOTD 90/10 runway overlay expected to proceed if state matching funds are available.
Maurice Sanjay, executive director of the parish airport authority, told the finance committee the airport’s 2026 budget shows a substantial revenue increase tied to a long‑term lease with First Solar and described several large capital projects under design or construction.
Sanjay said the First Solar lease has already yielded about $1,000,000 in annual revenue to the airport and that the contract steps up over time with periodic increases. "First Solar is bringing in $1,000,000 of revenue to the airport," he said, adding that the contract includes scheduled increases every five years.
The director reviewed a slate of capital work: design and rebid of an air‑traffic control tower (opening bids in November), a $74 million hangar project that combines federal, state and local funding sources with anticipated financing to close any funding gap, and a DOTD runway overlay projected as a 90/10 state‑to‑local split with an estimated airport share of approximately $100,000 for construction.
Sanjay also discussed equipment and maintenance purchases, including a rebuilt rapid‑response (fire) vehicle budgeted at about $350,000 and replacement tractors and Bush‑hog equipment. He noted several projects will be eligible for FAA or state grants and that the airport expects tenant interest for new hangar space.
Committee members asked about tenant profiles and runway funding; Sanjay said many tenants have regional ties and that state funding and FAA matching rules will determine the timing for some projects. No formal votes were held during the presentation.
