New terminal building goes vertical
Plans call for the new terminal to be constructed in the same spot as the original, but it will span nearly twice the size as the old one at 4,500 square feet with several upgrades. Officials broke ground in September 2023 on the $2.7 million new terminal project that is expected to be complete by October of this year.
Contractors demolished the airport’s old terminal building, which was built in 1951 and saw few updates over the years with the latest coming in 2004. That led to the city’s decision to support the first major construction project across any department in more than a decade.
City council members approved signing grant applications for $439,999 from federal BIL grant funds, $479,308 in federal AIP grant funds, and $869,880 in OAC state funds for the project. The city’s $972,028.47 sponsor share was reduced with a $250,000 donation from Choctaw Nation to help reach the projected cost of $2,761,215.47.
An Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission study estimated McAlester Regional Airport’s economic impact at $11 million per year in its most recent study. The airport helps refuel MediFlight aircraft year-round, and hosts aircraft for prospective businesses, returning business leaders, high-ranking government officials, and more.
McAlester Regional Airport operates under a regional business designation with more than 30 based aircraft. The city’s airport spans 257 acres and totals 8,000 operations, or take-offs and landings, per year.