PROUD TO BE A TRUSTED PARTNER OF Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF): A Vital Hub of Connectivity, Catalyst for Economic Development, and Gateway to Our Community Essentially, we’re trying to make the airport a go-to destination,” Boyd portrays. Springfield-Branson National Airport hosts a yearly awards celebration in collaboration with the Springfield Area Arts Council, transforming the terminal lobby into a banquet hall. In return, the arts council curates and arranges quarterly art displays at SGF.“People have a lot of strong emotions about airports. It’s a place where a lot of different things happen. And in that sense, the airport becomes part of your experience of living in Springfield and the surrounding area,” describes Boyd. ONGOING DEVELOPMENT AND FUTURE PROSPECTS SGF is currently in the final stages of a $6.5 million general aviation terminal expansion and update to the existing 30 year old facility. Weiler depicts,“We’re expanding that from 5,000 to about 8,500 square feet. We are upgrading the exterior of it to provide a front door to our business community and general aviation users.” Other improvements include a plan to replace the five oldest jet bridges at the state of the art 275,000-square-foot terminal, thanks to a $5.5 million grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. Reporting a 10-15% increase in passenger traffic at the airport this year, Boyd underscores the importance of maintaining the current level of service at SGF. “One of the challenges we have as we move forward 116 AVIATION VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 04, ISSUE 03
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