Kelly, Gallego Press FAA to Stop Delaying Kingman Airport Land Release, Support Economic Growth in Northwest Arizona

Today, Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego called on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to work with the City of Kingman to finalize a long-delayed land release at Kingman Municipal Airport that would unlock approximately $250 million in investment and support economic development in northwest Arizona.

In a letter to FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, the senators raised concerns that after more than six years of coordination with the FAA, the City of Kingman is now facing additional bureaucratic hurdles and increased costs that threaten the project's future.

"The City has worked with the FAA for over six years to complete this process, which would support approximately $250 million in investment at the airport. Despite working in good faith with the FAA for years, the City is now being asked to undertake additional bureaucratic steps by the FAA, requiring the City to incur additional costs and needlessly delay the land transfer. We urge the FAA to work with the City of Kingman to resolve any outstanding issues to complete this land release in a timely manner," wrote the senators.

Kingman Municipal Airport, originally established as a World War II Army Air Corps training facility, spans roughly 4,000 acres and serves as a major transportation hub with direct access to Interstate 40, Interstate 11, and the BNSF Southern Transcon rail line. The FAA-approved 2021 Airport Layout Plan concluded that much of the undeveloped land at the airport is not needed for current or future airport operations.

The senators also raised concerns about changing appraisal and payment requirements that conflict with prior agreements reached with the FAA's Phoenix Airport District Office: "We urge FAA to re-evaluate the prior decisions made by ACO rather than requiring the City to acquire new appraisals at the city's expense, which will further delay the process of seeing the deed release. If FAA determines that an additional appraisal is needed, we urge that the ACO act expeditiously to work with the City to identify an acceptable appraiser who has experience valuing properties in Kingman. Lastly, we urge FAA to honor the arrangement the Airport and ADO reached regarding a payment schedule for the deed release."

The senators warned that continued delays and changing procedural expectations are creating unnecessary burdens for the City and limiting economic opportunity in northwest Arizona: "The evolving interpretations of appraisal requirements and other procedural expectations have created additional hurdles for the City of Kingman and prolonged a process that has already been underway for six years. We urge ACO to redouble efforts with the City of Kingman to resolve any outstanding issues and advance this land release without further unnecessary delay. Completing this process will allow the city to move forward with a project that will create jobs, attract private investment, and strengthen the regional economy while maintaining the operational integrity of Kingman Municipal Airport."

The full letter is available here.