Business View Magazine - January 2024

additional taxiway is being designed that will serve as a turnaround for fire-fighting planes from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. The new taxiway will allow tanker aircraft to efficiently fuel planes and load them with slurry to fight forest fires. According to Airport Director Jennifer Griego, airfield lighting upgrades are forthcoming, and multiple aprons, defined as a designated area where aircraft are parked, unloaded, loaded, refueled, and boarded, are being renovated. More upgrades are coming as well. The air center is also charged with creating commercial developments that support the city and surrounding community. Discussions with a large, globally recognized company have begun as well for new development opportunities on the air center’s property. Recent infrastructure upgrades include a water line extension that is being funded by a $5 million state capital outlay opportunity. Such efforts are included in the air center’s five- year strategic plan, which will be finalized in 2024, Griego says. She and Lanfor have already met with community and industry stakeholders for input on 282 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 01