An airport is an important part of the community as Judy Muzyczyn of Kleberg County describes in the following article:
Kleberg County Airport Is Vital To The Local Economy. Airport businesses contribute an estimated $1.2 million to the local Kingsville area economy in terms of annual economic impact. Economic impact is a measure of the benefits a business entity provides to a community. Every business impacts the economy, but to answer the question of our airport’s benefit to our economy, let us focus on one non-aviation industry that benefits from and depends on the local airport being able to safely land multi-million dollar aircraft loaded with guests-hunting.
Large hunting camps contribute substantially to the local economy. What does it take to build, operate, maintain and supply a camp? It takes lumber, employees, vehicles, groceries and more. These items are obtained locally. Businesses which benefit from camp guests include hotels, car rental companies, restaurants, gift shops, taxidermists, gun shops, veterinarians, banks, etc. Camps depend on the Kleberg County Airport. If your business depends on the camps and hunters, then you indirectly depend on the airport.
Kleberg County Airport is a valuable community resource for other reasons. Visiting dignitaries, like the Prince of Wales, Governor George Bush, and celebrities, like singer George Strait, football star Earl Campbell, and golfer Fuzzy Zoeller, depend upon Kleberg County Airport to facilitate their attendance at special community events.
Alert airport employees tipped off law enforcement personnel about unusual aircraft traffic which resulted in a million dollar reward for the Kleberg County Sheriff’s Department.
Angel Flight has made numerous landings to assist with local medical emergencies. The military uses the field to extend their training maneuvers. Private flight training complements local education processes and provides vocational training.
Developers recently used the airport as a base to obtain aerial photos of land to be used for a prospective new business. Kleberg County Airport plays a crucial role in community efforts to stimulate growth for businesses, growth which translates into jobs. While not directly used by everyone, the entire community benefits from the airport.
– Judy Muzyczyn, Kleberg Aviation, Inc.