Looking to continue its exponential growth, the Christian County Fiscal Court approved Tuesday morning the release of an Industrial Development Authority revolving loan valued at $275,000 to the Hopkinsville-Christian County Airport — for use in the upcoming construction of 10 new hangars at the facility.
A project costing $574,419, Darrell Gustafson — former magistrate and airport board member — told squires bids had already been solicited and received, with all work approved subject to financing.
This was that financing.
Around in some capacity since the 1940s and fully opened to the public in 1952, Gustafson said the H-CC Airport prides itself on being mostly self-supporting, self-sustaining and well-maintained.
That budgeted surplus has allowed for the airport to save up nearly $300,000 of cash on hand — which Gustafson noted would help pay for more than half of this expansion project.
Furthermore, Gustafson said there’s already a waiting list for these proposed T-hangars, and that 10 additional craft on the property would result in annual fuel sales increasing by 8% — or roughly $18,800.
Gustafson said the expansion, in total, would bring in $33,600 annually, with debt service over 12 years expected to be $26,000 annually.
Already, 54 aircraft call the airstrip home — a home that’s changed considerably just in the last decade. Its newest office building was built in 2011. Ten T-hangars were drafted and crafted in 2020, and in October 2021 the Authority had plans for three new larger hangars.
In the summer of 2022, the office of U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell announced the airport was to receive a federal grant of more than $49,000 for a new apron, and it was the fourth grant for the airport in the last five years.
