Story ID: 
Texas Airport Boosts Local Economy
By: Curt Epstein
Caption: A new study by the Texas Department of Transportation shows the increasing economic impact of McKinney National Airport
Word Count: 190
McKinney (Texas) National Airport has an economic impact on the city and surrounding area of $212 million annually, according to a recently released report by the state Department of Transportation. That equates to a 382 percent increase from the last economic impact study, conducted in 2011, which determined the facility contributed $44 million to the annual local economy.

“Our airport is greatly benefitting from the huge increase in businesses relocating to the Collin County region,” said airport director Ken Carley. “Corporate fleets are discovering how easy and convenient it is to use our airport, and travelers appreciate our close proximity to the major highways connecting the Metroplex.”

Last year, the city-owned airport entered into a public-private agreement with Western LLC on a $16 million construction project that will include a new general aviation terminal for the airport-operated FBO and an additional 40,000-sq-ft hangar next year.

Carley noted that as soon as a new hangar is completed at the facility, it is quickly booked to capacity. “We’ve had people who have been on a waiting list for more than a year to get space here,” he said.