b'54 TKI GENERAL AVIATION McKinney National Provisions for Surging Corporate SectorBY CHRIS JONESDespite a pair of Texas-sizeddifficulties only made setbacks, McKinney Nationalthe opening more Airport (TKI) recently unveiledsatisfying for TKI nearly $17 million of improvements to boostpassengers, tenants FACTS&FIGURESservice for corporate travelers flocking intoand staff.Project: New General Aviation Terminalthe booming Dallas Metroplex through its Although weve facilities. had to wait a lot longer Location: McKinney (TX) National Airport The McKinney Air Center came onlineto bring the facilityKENNETH CARLEYFacility: McKinney Air Centerin September and immediately wowedonline, it blows me away how beautiful it is, Size: 2 stories, 17,000 sq. ft. visitors with its two-story grand lobby,inside and out, Carley remarks.Adjacent Hangar: 40,000 sq. ft.natural lighting and first-class fixtures. Cost: $16.8 millionThe 17,000-square-foot general aviationTemporarily GroundedDesigner: CaCo Architecture terminal houses conference and officeThe city of McKinney has owned TKI since Contractor: Nicholson Management Co. spaces; crew lounge and flight prep areas;the airport opened in 1979. Ten years ago, a bar and a community meeting room.it purchased the fixed-base operator (FBO) Airport Size: 780 acres Theres also a new 40,000-square-footand fueling rights from a private developer. 2022 Operations: 145,777 hangar farther south on the airfield.A strategic plan identified shortcomings, Sole Runway: 7,500 ft. long, 150 ft. wide (2024 projectUntil recently, some questioned whetherincluding aging facilities. First on the list will add another 500 ft. of length) the terminal would, in fact, get off theof improvements: a larger general aviation Airport Owner: City of McKinney, TX ground. Back-to-back bankruptcies fromterminal and a new hangar.Airline Impact Study: InterVISTAS Consulting a pair of general contractors delayedA request for proposals led to a public-Potential Future Projects: Commercial terminal; on- construction by nearly 18 months, thoughprivate partnership with Western LLC. site fire station; 60,000-gallon fuel farm; new Airport Director Kenneth Carley says thoseCrews broke ground in April 2018, and a parallel taxiwayNovember | December 2023AirportImprovement.com'