Jun. 4—MURPHYSBORO — Southern Illinois Airport hosted an open house to celebrate completion of a $26 million dollar expansion and building project.
Steven Burroughs, chairman of the airport board, told the around 200 people gathered for the celebration that the airport opened in 1950 on 160 acres with one hangar and 10 employees.
Today, the airport encompasses 12,000 acres and has three all-weather runways, one that can land a Boeing 757. It is the third-busiest airport in Illinois 104 busiest in the U.S. and generates $122 million dollars per year.
Besides being home to SIU flight, aviation management and automotive technology programs, the airport is home to numerous businesses.
Gary Shafer, airport director, has spent 43 years working at Southern Illinois Airport. He commended the numerous board members who have served during his tenure.
"I'm thrilled to be part of the airport," Shafer said.
The project they celebrated Friday afternoon drew $26 million over the past three years. That includes $12 million in state and local grants, $10 million in private investment from the airport's tenants and $4 million from First Southern Bank and First Bank and Trust.
As a result, the airport has five new buildings. Two buildings added an additional 110,000 square feet to the airport campus. Four tenants have expanded their businesses, and four new tenants have located at the airport.
Shafer thanked the tenants of the airports and the people who have helped with the expansion. Those include White and Borgognoni Architects, designers Asaturian, Eaton and Associates and builders Samron Midwest Contracting and H.E. Mitchell.
"Nothing at this scale can be completed in isolation," Shafer said.
He acknowledged tenants, including the National Guard, Aviation Insurance, SIH disaster response team, Code 1 Aviation, Crucial MRO, Air Methods, Enhanced Aero, Yates Awning, GRNE Solar, ISEO marijuana cultivators, and St. Nicholas Brewing Co.
"We are the only airport in the United States that brews beer and grows pot, and we're proud of it," Shafer said.
Other speakers included State Sen. Terri Bryant, State Sen. Dale Fowler, State Rep. Paul Jacobs, USDA State Director Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, Illinois Representative of the EDA Emily Rhodes and Illinois Designee of the Delta Regional Authority Brandi Bradley.
Bryant joked that it doesn't go unnoticed in Springfield that this evangelical representative has beer, pot, wine and gambling in her district, and is glad to have them. She said it does go unnoticed in Southern Illinois how many good-paying jobs are at the airport.
"We're very happy to have each and every one of them," Bryant said.
Fowler said the atmosphere at the airport will draw people to join the 20 tenants currently on the airport campus.
In addition to being an optometrist and state representative, Jacobs is a pilot and has been a tenant at the airport. He credited Shafer for bringing the things businesses need to the airport, like airport police and others who provide safety to pilots and aviation businesses.
"Thanks, Gary Shafer. I've seen him for 43 years building and building here," Jacobs said.
During the celebration, Marc Burton of Crucial MRO signed an agreement to expand with the airport board. He said Crucial MRO has drawn attention from major airlines. They will build two new hangers that will provide aircraft aircraft maintenance and repair for Allegiant Airlines and Delta's regional airline.
Shafer said the airport will announce three new tenants in the next few weeks.
The event ended with tours of the grounds and a party.
Southern Illinois Airport is located between Carbondale and Murphysboro.
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