Arlington takes over airport operations, prepares for World Cup impact

On April 1, the city of Arlington plans to acquire the fixed base operator of Arlington Municipal Airport, giving the city direct control over everything from fuel and food to the runway.

The Arlington City Council voted in January to buy the Harrison Aviation and GKY Realty properties for $17 million. Mr. Harrison earlier announced he was exiting the business, giving the city an opportunity to generate revenue and develop the airport as air traffic increases.

Airport Director Trent Ballard said the acquisition would add $78 million in benefits to the city, in addition to the airport’s expected $236 million in economic impact over the next 20 years. Stated.

“They offered the city an opportunity to compete and bid, and we did our evaluation, we did our due diligence, and we started to think this was a good investment for the city to make, not just as a controller.”The airport But as a broader economic impact,” Ballard said.

Arlington Municipal Airport, which achieved national status in 2022, is a relief airport located just south of Interstate 20 in south Arlington. In contrast to regular or regional airports, national airports have a very high level of aviation activity, with many jet aircraft and multi-engine propeller aircraft using their facilities.

The deal is part of a $68.5 million investment planned at and around the airport, along with other investments such as expanding MLK Junior Drive, adding parking, and an air taxi terminal and hangar, according to the city. It is said that it is planned.

As a fixed-based operator, Ballard said the city will provide airport users with services such as refueling, maintenance and concierge services.

He said revenue from fixed base operations will allow the city to fund improvements and future development needs, especially on the west side.

“What we’re really looking at is more hangar infrastructure, maybe a corporate relocation hangar where we can try to attract larger companies,” Ballard said. “They’re going to have their own aviation division, and that division is usually located close to where their headquarters are. And that’s something we haven’t been able to influence before, but from now on, That’s what I intend to do.”

Development of 34 acres on the west side of the airport and additional aircraft parking space is a priority.

This additional space will be especially important for major events the city sees coming in the future, such as the nine Soccer World Cup games the city will host in 2026.

“We know our problem is capacity,” Ballard said. “I think one of the other questions is how much traffic will realistically be generated, and no one has a good answer for that. Since then, America has hosted the World Cup. I think it’s because it hasn’t been done in the mid-1990s. ”

The city said the World Cup games are expected to create 3,000 new jobs in North Texas and generate nearly $400 million in revenue. Dallas hosted a World Cup game in 1994 at the Cotton Bowl.

Practice sites will include Toyota Stadium in Frisco, the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Globe Life Field in Arlington and Fair Park in Dallas.

Ballard said a lot has changed in the airline industry since the 1990s.

“General aviation has completely changed since the mid-’90s,” he says. The best comparison of what to expect from this city was in 2011, when he hosted the NFL’s Super Bowl.

“We have discussed 34 acres of land to the west, which includes additional aircraft parking space as part of that development,” he said. “We are currently in the process of obtaining environmental permits for a new parking apron with approximately 260,000 square feet of parking space.”

There are other ways to add parking for planes, he said.

“We have a taxiway ‘Golf’ on the west side of the runway that can be closed off and used as a parking lot,” Ballard said. “You see it a lot. If you look at what Augusta Regional Airport is doing for the Masters (Georgia), they’re actually closing down the runway and using it as a parking lot. It is.”

Ballard said the airport would utilize the infrastructure it currently has and consider building new infrastructure before the World Cup to resolve capacity issues.

“We’re definitely going to look at some sort of staffing or other necessary additions,” Ballard said.

Beyond fuel and parking, fixed-based operators also have a concierge aspect with a range of services.

“We provide services for these passengers to book hotel rooms, provide rental cars, and coordinate between the rental car company and the passenger,” Ballard said. “The FBO is like a middleman that handles all of that, and when the passenger arrives, the rental car arrives directly on the plane and they hop into the rental car.”

Fixed-base operators also help with any type of catering needed onboard the aircraft, Ballard said.

“This is exactly the kind of full-service operation we offer,” he said. “We also offer hangars for large aircraft.”

The city announced it would split the cost 50-50 with the Arlington Economic Development Corporation, which contributed $9.5 million to the acquisition. The city paid $7.5 million from gas revenue from the airport and revenue from the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation.

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