Chattanooga airport officials say they hope to move ahead with a multimillion-dollar deal to sharply bolster Lovell Field's buffer along Brainerd Road.

But officials said the purchase of three tracts adjacent to the airport depends on receiving $4.9 million from the Federal Aviation Administration, which could again shut down in September.

"We've yet to receive the funding," said Mike Landguth, the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport's president. "We've got to see what we've got."

The money is slated to buy former closed auto dealer lots on Brainerd and permit the airport to expand its runway safety zone.

Christina Siebold, Lovell Field's director of marketing, said such a zone as a rule is designed to ensure that future development doesn't occur.

Siebold said the total FAA request of $4.9 million includes not just property acquisition but the cost of environmental assessment, projected demolition and appraisals. She said there's a 5 percent local match that will come from airport revenues.

Siebold said the three parcels are owned by holding companies. She said it will take additional funds to design and complete work on the properties.

Landguth said the site, near Brainerd Road and Jubilee Drive, likely would be turned into green space.

"We'll keep our fingers crossed," said Landguth about the FAA funds. If the money is allocated, it would take about 12 months for the airport to acquire the land and design and carry out the project, he said.

In July, a partial FAA shutdown put the land deal in doubt. Nationwide, the shutdown hurt airport projects and jeopardized about 70,000 construction jobs as about $2.5 billion in FAA grants were held up.

Contact Mike Pare at [email protected] or 423-757-6318.