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Prescott Regional Airport presents growth plan: hangars, ramp work and a control‑tower study
Summary
Airport Director Rick Crider told council the airport's budget is capital‑heavy and outlined near‑term projects — new hangars, northeast ramp phases, ARF and solids‑handling work — and said the control‑tower environmental assessment and early design are moving forward with FAA engagement.
Airport Director Rick Crider told the council on May 11 that Prescott Regional’s FY27 budget remains capital‑heavy and that staff are pursuing a sequence of infrastructure investments to support growth, flight training and public‑safety uses.
"We have about 71% of our budget in capital," Crider said, describing the airport’s recent pattern of investing in ramps, hangars and airfield geometry to attract tenants and cover operating costs. He highlighted recent growth in operations — the airport logged about 390,000 operations in calendar year 2025 — and said the airport is seeking state and federal grant funding for multiple projects.
Key near‑term projects Crider described include: northeast ramp work (the state funded a $3.5 million first phase and the city is pursuing another ~$3 million), a north‑ramp design to accommodate private hangar development, pavement preservation and terminal lighting upgrades, a proposed jet bridge (grant application pending), and a solids‑handling building at the airport water reclamation facility (procurement expected this year at roughly $12.6 million). Crider said the airport is pursuing public‑private partnerships for hanger development and looking to expand commercial service and cargo opportunities.
On the control tower, Crider said the city has assembled required parcels and that an environmental assessment (NEPA/EA) and pre‑design work have begun; he reported favorable signs from FAA engagement and said design teams are being considered. "It's moving forward," he said of the tower effort, which is advancing through environmental study and business‑case discussions.
Funding context: Crider outlined a mixed funding approach that relies heavily on FAA discretionary and formula grants for airfield projects, state grants for matching, and airport revenues (hangar leases, operations) for local matches and city‑funded components. Several projects will require grant awards or external financing; staff said they will continue to coordinate with finance and the city manager on timing.
Next steps: staff will advertise hangar development projects, seek grant awards for the jet‑bridge and ramp phases, advance NEPA/EA for the control tower, and return with design and procurement schedules as awards are secured.
