Santa Rosa County (Fla.) Economic Development Director Shannon Ogletree attended the Paris Air Show and was carrying a new bargaining chip - Whiting Aviation Park - as an attractive location for aviation-related businesses to call home.
A $1.5M state appropriation - for the #9M project - has been made to help cover construction of a taxiway and apron linking the aviation park to Naval Air Station Whiting Field - home to primary aviation and helicopter pilot training; and where many NAS Meridian, Miss., student-pilots begin their careers.
The state grant is about 15% of what's needed. But without it, "we'd be dead in the water for other grants," he said. Another $4.2M grant is already in the works.
When completed, that link will cement in the minds of would-be tenants that the location is capable of facilitating the needs of aviation and aerospace interests.
Ogletree said he made contact with 15 or 20 prospective clients in Paris.
Leonardo Helicopters, the company with the Navy contract to build its new TH-73A training helos, could be ready to start construction on an 80,000-square foot maintenance facility by the first quarter of 2025, Ogletree said.
An initial $176.4M contract between the Navy and Leonardo called for 32 TH-73A helicopters over a 4-year period and future procurement of 103 more at an additional cost of $648 million. (PNJ.com 06/26/23) Santa Rosa Milton Aviation Park gets funding boost from Legislature (pnj.com)
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