Contact: Bond: Shana Stribling 202-224-0309 Blunt: Dan Wadlington 417-889-1800
Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Springfield, Missouri – The federal construction funds for the new Springfield-Branson National Airport Terminal have been released by the U.S. Department of Transportation, according to Missouri Senator Kit Bond and Congressman Roy Blunt. Blunt and Bond designated an additional $2.87 million to the annual $5 million funding for the Springfield airport to make physical improvements.

Aviation Director Gary Cyr welcomed the release of the funding. “We are going out for bids on the site work tomorrow,” he said. “I hope to see dirt moved by June 1.”

Congressman Blunt added, “Southwest Missouri continues to expand in so many ways and its commercial air service needs to develop with it. The construction of a new air terminal is vital to that goal. The travel that businesses require and leisure travelers expect includes better security, easier access, new conveniences and modern facilities. That is why the new terminal at Springfield-Branson National Airport is important to our continued economic growth.”

"This is great news for the region. This first installment of federal funds will kick-start an important project," said Senator Kit Bond, Chairman of the Senate Transportation-Treasury-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee. "The dollars Congressman Blunt and I secured for this project will allow for the expansion of the Springfield-Branson airport, which is critical to meet the growing demand for air service in southwest Missouri."

The $7.87 million will be used to construct the first phase of the concrete apron around the new terminal building. The federal funding is also an integral part of a change in federal law that Bond and Blunt secured to keep the Springfield-Branson National Airport eligible for federal funding as the airport grew from a regional facility into a small hub airport. A record of more than 900,000 passengers went though airline gates last year in Springfield.