Aviation View | April 2021

135 AVIATION VIEW APRIL 2021 Leesburg Inter A gem of Lake County, Florida, the City of Leesburg is a welcoming, progressive community of more than 23,000 residents that serves nearly twice as many people with electric, natural gas, water, wastewater and reuse water utilities. Known as the “Lakefront City,” Leesburg is a central hub for commerce in Lake County, attracting 50,000 people to work each weekday. The city is also a great place to live, play, and visit – ideally located near area attractions, shopping, hotels, restaurants, entertainment, golf, and some of the country’s best fishing. POISED FOR GROWTH When it comes to economic development, Leesburg International Airport is a tremendous regional asset providing a large range of aviation services including a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office. A growing community of aviation businesses are also located on-site. Like many cities in the U.S, Leesburg’s airport development came as a direct result of the Second World War when the Civil Aeronautics Administration created it as a training facility for the U.S. Army. In 1946, the property was deeded to the City of Leesburg for use as a general aviation airport and remained the same for the next 50 years. As the city began growing again in the 1980s, so did the airport. It now