Texarkana, Texas – In a unanimous vote, the Texarkana City Board of Directors approved an agreement that allows the Texarkana Regional Airport Authority to sell its former terminal building to Texarkana College for a nominal $10. The deal includes a ground lease for approximately 4.3 acres surrounding the structure, giving the college space to expand aviation education and workforce‑training programs.
Details of the lease and financial terms
The lease runs for an initial ten‑year term with four optional five‑year renewals. Annual rent is set at 32 cents per square foot of rentable space, roughly $8,823 per year, with adjustments tied to the Consumer Price Index and capped at a 5% increase each year. Texarkana College will assume responsibility for utilities, maintenance, and any renovations needed to bring the facility up to modern standards.
To support these improvements, the agreement establishes a $900,000 capital‑investment target. The college must provide quarterly progress reports to the airport authority until the target is met. While the sale transfers ownership of the terminal and associated improvements, the underlying land remains airport property.
Educational programs to benefit the community
Under the lease, Texarkana College plans to use the site for professional pilot training, aircraft‑maintenance technician programs, classroom instruction, and related educational activities. This initiative aligns with the region’s growing demand for skilled aviation professionals and offers local students a pathway to high‑paying, technically demanding careers.
Additional airport projects approved
The board also approved a $129,420 contract with Williams Painting to restore the exterior of the Jim E. Yates Terminal, the airport’s Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting facility, and wooden directional signs throughout the field. Funding for the painting work comes from a Texas Department of Transportation grant and the airport’s operations and maintenance account, requiring no matching funds from the city.
Another measure adopted by the board establishes the airport’s 2027‑2032 Capital Improvement Plan, a five‑year roadmap required by the Federal Aviation Administration to maintain eligibility for federal grant funding. The plan includes $16.7 million for widening Taxiways B and D and converting Runway 13, a $2 million runway‑4 approach‑lighting project, a $1.6 million wildlife‑fence installation, and $2.7 million for drainage improvements near Runway 4/22 and Taxiway A. Additional projects feature a $4 million conversion of Runway 31’s taxilane scheduled for 2028 and further taxiway and drainage upgrades in later years.
Funding for these improvements will be supplemented by a $269,000 work order financed through an Arkansas Economic Development Commission grant, again without requiring additional city matching contributions. The airport authority previously secured an $11 million grant, championed by U.S. Representatives Nathaniel Moran and Bruce Westerman, to support taxiway widening and runway conversion projects.
Local impact and next steps
The Texarkana City Council is set to vote on final approval of the agreement during its upcoming Monday meeting. If ratified, the partnership will provide a permanent home for aviation education in the region, strengthen the local workforce pipeline, and enhance the airport’s role as an economic engine for the community.
By leveraging federal and state grant resources, the city is able to pursue major infrastructure upgrades while keeping the financial burden on taxpayers minimal. The collaboration between the airport authority and Texarkana College exemplifies a proactive, faith‑centered approach to community development, reinforcing the traditional family values of hard work, education, and stewardship of public resources.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
