Originally published in 2006
Anne C. Gaines
Sugar Land Regional Airport
The Sugar Land Regional Airport celebrated the Grand Opening of a new 20,000-square-foot terminal and associated 270,000-square-foot apron on June 1, 2006. With this, the airport established itself as:
• A premier destination of choice for the global business traveler,
• A remarkable experience in Texas hospitality,
• A place where impeccable professionalism is the standard, and
• A key economic development asset and a point of citizen pride.
Airport administration envisioned a terminal unlike any other in the state or region – one that arriving corporate passengers and pilots would associate only with the City of Sugar Land. The Texas limestone and stucco exterior with Texas artisan-made copper star scones and pitched metal roof are reminiscent of a Texas ranch house. Two stone fireplaces, red oak paneling and custom furnishings in the lobby accentuate the interior.
The new terminal offers fixed-based operator services, public waiting and superb amenities for corporate pilots; and it contains the airport administration offices. The general public will make use of three retail shops, two rental car companies and two large porch areas where airplane activity can be viewed from a close, but safe, distance. A new 66-acre General Aviation Complex, which will boast 90 T-hangars, a self-fueling facility and support businesses (flight school, airframe mechanic and avionics shop), is in the second phase of construction. The T-hangars will quickly follow, with completion expected in the spring of 2008. This facility, aside from being the largest undertaken in Texas Department of Transportation Aviation Division’s history, features two taxiway bridges spanning natural oxbow lakes – the setting is stunning!
The success of the Sugar Land Regional Airport is largely attributed to vision, planning and support from the city, state, and federal government. The airport continues as a strong, self-sufficient enterprise fund by City Council policy and management practices, paying for its operation and maintenance. It receives no tax dollars from the city. An aggressive capital improvements program has resulted in over $40 million infrastructure improvements since 1998, accomplished largely through Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding administered by TxDOT, Aviation Division. The business plan update, written in 2005, provides a continued strategy for the development of the airport’s infrastructure, while balancing the aviation needs of the community, maintaining fiscal responsibility and ensuring that the airport remains a good neighbor. The airport now offers U.S. Customs and Border Protection services and has served aircraft from China, Europe, Africa and South America. A permanent U.S. Customs facility will begin construction later this year.
The Sugar Land Regional Airport plays a critical role in the region’s economic development as it provides an opportunity for corporate executives to minimize the “chair to air” travel time. Companies that have selected the Sugar Land area as the location for their headquarters have cited the quality and proximity of the airport as a factor in their decision.