A bond committee in McKinney is recommending a $200 million bond item to fund two-thirds of a $300.7 million project to attract commercial passenger service at McKinney National Airport.
City officials anticipate federal, state and local grants to kick in on the remaining $100.7 million.
The bond committee presented their recommendations to McKinney City Council on Jan. 17. The council will vote Tuesday on the package to be sent to voters on May 6.
Proposed is a 144,000-square-foot terminal with four gates, a 15-acre tarmac and 2,000 parking spaces. Construction could begin in 2024 with the terminal opening in 2026. The potential economic effect could bring more than 3,000 jobs to the region and millions in wages and economic impact, according to information the bond committee presented to the council.
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McKinney National is just 32 miles from DFW International Airport, a fortress hub for Fort Worth-based American Airlines and one of the world’s largest airports with more nonstop destinations than any other airport in the country. And McKinney National is even closer to Dallas Love Field, one of the nation’s 30 largest airports and home airport to Dallas-based Southwest Airlines.
Brian Loughmiller, a bond committee member who serves as board chair for McKinney Economic Development Corp., said it is not unusual to have multiple commercial airports in large metropolitan areas.
“One of the questions you will get and we have constantly have talked about, is what are we really going to attract if we do have some type of commercial service in McKinney, Texas?” he told the City Council during the Jan. 17 meeting.
Loughmiller did not say what airlines would potentially have service at the airport if the project moves forward, but said there have been discussions with multiple carriers.
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