PRYOR, Okla. — MidAmerica Industrial Park in Pryor will soon break ground on a new terminal to service all of the business people going to and from.
It's the state's largest industrial park and third largest in the United States. Aerospace and aeronautics is the second largest industry in Oklahoma.
The new, on-site airport terminal is a joint investment partnership between the Oklahoma Dept. of Aerospace and Aeronautics (ODAA) and MidAmerica Industrial Park. The ODAA led the effort to secure two grants from the Federal Aviation Administration to make it happen.
The total capital investment is $3.285 million.
The 4,000-square-foot terminal includes hospitality areas, an on-site conference room, a pilot's lounge and sleeping area, and back-office management space. It's expected to last for at least half a century.
"With the potential of even more economic development growth in the next few years, this will drive even more people here to use this airport," said Houston Brittain, Pryor Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director.
State senators, Commerce and Aeronautics officials, and local businesspeople attended the announcement in Pryor Creek.
David Day was also in the audience. He's the director of Pryor High School's Innovation Center.
He showed 2 News the sports plane Pryor High School students can work on if enrolled in the program's aeronautics course. Students can study aircraft blueprints and using their expertise and knowledge.
"One of the good things about this is that it's transferable skills," Day said. "A lot of skills they learn here can go into manufacturing or the park. They can go anywhere," Day said.
Everyone in attendance would agree it's the future that excites them most: The future traffic utilizing this new terminal, the future economic investment in MidAmerica Industrial Park, and the future growth of an already prospering aerospace and aeronautics industry in Oklahoma.
MidAmerica staff said they're hopeful to host a ribbon-cutting for the new terminal in about 12 to 15 months.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- SUBSCRIBE on YouTube
