"Construction under way at Laughlin/Bullhead airport"

Wednesday, March 24, 2004 

Construction under way at airport
By STACY BRANDT 
The Mohave Valley (NV) News


BULLHEAD CITY - The Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport will have a new
building this summer for boarding and waiting, which is planned to
eventually become the cornerstone of a new terminal. 

Construction was set to begin last week on the $2 million project that is
scheduled to be completed in late July or early August. 

The 9,600-square-foot holding room will include bathrooms, offices, a
vending area and a snack bar. It will be connected to the current terminal
by a covered walkway and double the passenger capacity. 

"It's going to start looking like a real terminal building," said Norm
Hicks, chief operating officer of the Mohave County Airport Authority. 
Larry D. Builders Inc., a local contractor, was chosen for the project. 
"We're happy to actually keep business here in town," said John Paskell,
airport director. 

The Federal Aviation Administration will pay more than 90 percent of the $2
million; the state and Airport Authority will split the remainder. 

The new building is expected to improve security and capacity, allowing for
two or three simultaneous flights. 

"We've been anxious to bring this to the public for a long time," Hicks
said. "All of this is aimed at making the experience safe, secure and a more
pleasant and rewarding travel experience." 

The project will be completed in two phases. Money for phase one, which is
construction of the building's exterior, is already in place. Funds for
phase two's interior work are about to be released, according to Paskell. 

The expansion has been planned for about three years, but after the
terrorists attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, FAA funds were diverted from
construction to pay for security, which delayed the project for about a
year. 

"It has been a long road, but we're happy that it's finally here," Paskell
said. "Better late than never." 

The building is intended to become the cornerstone of a 100,000-square-foot
terminal with six gates and a central ticketing area. This project will be
completed in phases over the next several years. 

There are also plans to expand the current terminal by about 5,000 square
feet in the next couple of years. 

Growth in the area is having a big impact on the expansion of the airport,
Hicks said. 

The Airport Authority is working with two new carriers to bring additional
flights to the airport. There may soon be a replacement for the southwestern
routes Sun Country Airlines cut for the summer and a small commuter service
offering flights from Scottsdale and Southern California, according to
Paskell. 

"Our personal goal is to grow that into something bigger, more exciting for
the local community," Hicks said of the proposed flights.


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