Aviation View | Volume 1, Issue 2

171 AVIATION VIEW VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 A I R C R A F T M A N A G E M E N T | B R O K E R A G E | M A I N T E N A N C E 112 01 B A K E R S T , AMA R I L LO , T X , 7 9111 | ( 8 0 6 ) 318 - 8 815 | WWW. F L I GH T ME C HAN I X . COM R I CK HUSBAND AMAR I LLO INTERNAT IONAL A I RPORT horseback riding… all kinds of activities, so it’s a pretty visited attraction.” Park visitors have no shortage of options for lodging. In addition to the campsites and cabins at Palo Duro, there are more than 7,000 hotel rooms in Amarillo. And there could soon be more at the airport. Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport has 300 acres of land available for development, plus another 500 acres nearby that’s owned by the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation. “Between the airport and the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation, we’d really like to have a combination of many things there,” says Conner. “But primarily the projects that we’re entertaining as possibilities include some manufacturing, maybe some research and development opportunities, and a hotel. We’re looking to put a four- or five-star hotel here, since there’s not an actual airport hotel here currently. If you go about a mile and a half up the street, there are some hotels. But nothing that’s really conducive to the business traveler. And so we’d like to put in a higher quality hotel that caters more to the business client, with obvious quick access right to the airport. That would be really great.” Despite the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing material costs, Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport is expected to open a new, $5 million corporate aircraft executive terminal this summer. Conner explains, “TAC Air, our FBO, has been great in anticipating future needs to ensure that corporate traffic has a good place to call home here in Amarillo with their new terminal, and that’s going to be really exciting when it opens. I got a chance to tour it a few weeks ago in the middle of construction and it looks amazing. It’s got all the modern facilities and the interior looks fantastic. It’s a great place to have as a first view of Amarillo when someone flies in here, whether they are coming from out of the country