Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics and MidAmerica Industrial Park Officials Open New Regional Business Airport Terminal
10/22/2025
Officials with the State of Oklahoma and MidAmerica Industrial Park recently held a ceremonial grand opening to mark the completion of a new airport terminal at MidAmerica’s onsite H71 Regional Business Airport.
The new terminal was a joint investment partnership between the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics (ODAA) and MidAmerica Industrial Park. ODAA also led the effort to secure two grants from the Federal Aviation Administration, resulting in a total capital investment of $3.285 million.
The terminal features a new, 4,000-square-foot facility including hospitality areas, an on-site conference room, pilot’s lounge and sleeping area and back-office management space.
“This facility is more than just a building — it is a gateway that will strengthen regional opportunity, welcome new investment and showcase one of our state’s most important economic development assets. With this investment, we are charting a stronger course for the future of Oklahoma’s aviation industry,” said ODAA Executive Director Grayson Ardies.
The ODAA serves as the lead government agency to support, promote and advocate for the state’s second largest industry, aviation and aerospace. This includes providing funding, planning, programming and engineering expertise for Oklahoma’s airports and aviation infrastructure as well as ensuring the viability of the aerospace industry.
In 2022, the Oklahoma Legislature made the largest investment in state history — nearly $250 million — to advance the aerospace and defense industry. These funds allow the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics to upgrade infrastructure at 108 public airports across the state, strengthen aviation industrial parks and expand workforce development opportunities.
“The Legislature’s continued commitment to this industry is making a visible difference across the state,” said Oklahoma Sen. John Haste, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and former chair of the Senate Aeronautics and Transportation Committee. “Through regular appropriations to ODAA, we are strengthening airports, enhancing facilities and creating the infrastructure needed to sustain future growth. The opening of this terminal is a direct result of those investments, and it demonstrates how we are positioning Oklahoma to compete nationally while supporting the communities and workforce that fuel our economy.”
MidAmerica Industrial Park is overseen by the Oklahoma Ordnance Works Authority, a public trust established by the Oklahoma Legislature in 1960. MidAmerica’s mission is to grow jobs, increase state and local tax bases and provide a positive economic benefit for the State of Oklahoma. The 9,000-acre industrial park is the eighth largest in the world and the third largest in the United States. More than 80 employers, including five Fortune 500 companies, employ approximately 4,500 workers from communities throughout Northeast Oklahoma.
“The opening of the airport marks another important milestone in years of master planning and the Board of Trustees’ careful investment in MidAmerica to strengthen transportation and critical infrastructure for both current and future employers,” said David Stewart, Chief Administrative Officer of MidAmerica. “Our historic H71 Regional Business Airport is often the very first impression for visiting prospective employers. This new terminal replaces an outdated facility and creates a modern, welcoming gateway that reflects the strength of MidAmerica and the momentum of the State of Oklahoma.”
Since 2015, MidAmerica Industrial Park’s Board of Trustees have made strategic, conservative investments of more than $80 million in new roads and accessibility, water treatment facilities, workforce training and recruitment and regional planning for residential housing and quality of life initiatives.
Stewart noted the opening marked the completion of Phase I of the airport master plan and established the terminal as the foundation for MidAmerica’s long-term capital improvement strategy. Projects in Phase II include:
- Extending the runway by 1,000 feet, increasing its length from 5,000 to 6,000 feet, along with construction of a new parallel taxiway
- Building a new enclosed hangar
- Relocating JetA and AvGas fuel tanks with capacities of 12,000 and 5,000 gallons
- Developing a new north Runway Protection Zone to support future road construction
“This project represents more than a new terminal — it is a symbol of partnership and progress,” said John Budd, CEO of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and member of MidAmerica’s Board of Trustees. “The investments planned through 2030 are designed to prepare MidAmerica for the next generation of employers and modern aircraft. Working together with state leaders, we are building the infrastructure that will fuel long-term growth and prosperity for Northeast Oklahoma and the state.”
MidAmerica Industrial Park assumed management and maintenance of the H71 Regional Business Airport in 1989. The airport also serves as Northeast Oklahoma’s home base and fueling site for critical Life Flight services.