Troup County staff seek approval for revised AirTron ground lease tied to FAA standards

Troup County staff asked commissioners to approve a revised ground lease with AirTron Limited that county officials said aligns with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Georgia Department of Transportation review and will enable development of aviation facilities at the LaGrange airport.

Troy Anderson summarized the proposal, saying the developer originally proposed three facilities totaling about 270,000 square feet to disassemble and refurbish aircraft components. After DOT and FAA review, the developer redesigned the site to add a taxiway from Taxiway Alpha and a 100,000‑square‑foot apron to accommodate 737‑size aircraft. Anderson said the revised lease reflects an updated appraisal and adjusts rent per square foot; the presentation described a change in rate from the original 5¢ per square foot amount to 9.21¢ per square foot in the revised terms, and staff said the airport would receive an estimated $4,000–$5,000 more in the first year than earlier projections.

Anderson told the board the project hinges on Georgia DOT and FAA approval and estimated a DOT/FAA review of 4–6 months after resubmission, followed by roughly 12–15 months of construction, with full operation possibly two years out. In response to commissioner questions, Anderson said initial full‑build employment could be on the order of 200–250 workers once the project is fully developed and that the city (co‑sponsor) and county counsel had reviewed the revised lease.

Commissioners put the revised ground lease on the evening agenda for formal consideration.