McKinney’s plans to build a third commercial airport in North Texas are close to coming to fruition.
The City Council voted to add a $200 million bond package to the May ballot that, if approved, would allow the city to raise money for the development of a commercial terminal at the McKinney National Airport, the Dallas Business Journal reported. The measure passed in a unanimous vote.
The airport is intended as an alternative to the Dallas Fort Worth International and Dallas Love Field airports, city officials said. A bond committee recommended raising $200 million through general obligation bonds and funding the rest of the project with federal, state and local grants.
Plans for the 144,000-square-foot terminal include a 15-acre aircraft apron, 2,000 parking spaces and 16 gates. The plan is to open four gates in 2026, offering up to 20 flights daily, with a goal to have as many as 40 daily departures by 2040.
A city-hired consultant estimates that commercial aviation at McKinney could generate between $615 million and $850 million and create up to 3,200 jobs. The airport is expected to contribute at least $1 billion to the local economy by 2040.
“We will grow and either grow in spite of us or because of us,” said Brian Loughmiller, former McKinney mayor and a member of the bond committee, during a Jan. 17 meeting. “I would rather it be because of us. There will be interest in a third airport in DFW. If our airport’s goal is to be an economic engine, then we are in a position to do that and poised to do that compared to other area airports.”
McKinney doesn’t have formal agreements with any airlines, but city officials say multiple carriers have expressed interest.
— Victoria Pruitt
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