Miami Regional Airport Opens New Terminal
Miami Regional Airport celebrated the official grand opening of its new 4,000-square-foot terminal Friday, Aug. 1, with a ribbon cutting drawing in community members, city and state officials, and aviation enthusiasts from all over the area.
The $3.28 million upgrade included the construction of a new terminal to better accommodate waiting passengers, pilots, and other airport visitors. The project was initially approved as part of the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics’ (ODAA) Airport Construction Plan (ACP) in 2023. The building cost was covered by $1 million from ODAA, a little more than $1 million from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and $1.2 million coming from the City of Miami and Miami Special Utility Authority. The ACP is a five-year revolving plan that the ODAA provides in cooperation with the FAA and airport sponsors to support the combined goal of having a system of airports that serve the business, transportation, and commerce needs of communities across the state.
Leading the event was Grayson Ardies, ODAA executive director. “This new building is more than a showpiece, it is the new front door to Miami and the greater northeast Oklahoma region,” said Ardies. “This project is just one more example of what can happen when communities come together to improve not only aesthetics but infrastructure, too. ODAA will continue to champion pro-growth aviation projects like this in Miami and at the other 107 airports around the state.”
Also attending the grand opening were several local dignitaries including Mayor Bless Parker and several members of the Miami City Council, state lawmakers including local Rep. Steve Bashore, R-Miami, and Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore who represented the Senate General Government and Transportation Subcommittee on Appropriations in his role as Vice-Chair, Fairland Mayor Nick Bowers, Chief of the Shawnee Tribe Ben Barnes, current Miami city manager Tyler Cline and former city manager Bo Reese, as well as officials from Garver Engineers, New Fire Native Design Group, and Crossland Construction who were involved in the design and construction of the new terminal.
“From the groundbreaking just a year ago to today’s grand opening, we can see what Miami’s city council, our tribal partners, the airport, and ODAA saw: potential,” said Bashore, “Miami’s potential is being realized, and we’re opening northeast Oklahoma to the rest of the nation and world.”
Much of Miami's growth and improvements are due, in part, to the dedicated efforts of city staff, said Parker.
“Every department in the city came together to put the final touches on this building and its grounds. It has truly been a team effort,” said Parker. “As more visitors arrive in Miami, our city’s economy will continue to grow, benefiting everyone—from the airport mechanics who ensure the planes are flying, to the waitstaff at the café in town. We are here to support both visitors and residents.”
With Miami’s new terminal now complete, additional improvements are planned over the next three years. First, the airport’s parallel taxiway will be reconstructed and realigned to meet FAA runway/taxiway standards. The second project will be the construction of a fence around the perimeter of the airport to mitigate the presence of wildlife on the airfield.