For two decades, Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTIA) has been amassing property and turning it into a 1,000-acre aviation megasite meant to bring all sorts of new aviation-based companies to the site – and that appears to be exactly what’s happening right now.
PTIA Executive Director Kevin Baker said this week that there are 10 companies interested in locating in the airport’s megasite and he added that some would be a very big deal for the local economy.
“There’s incredible interest in the airport,” Baker said on Tuesday, March 14, adding that several of the ten possible projects are extremely promising.
“I think we’re in a really good position for three of those,” Baker said.
Like Boom Supersonic, which is building its next-generation mega-million-dollar jet factory at PTIA, some of the companies now eyeing the megasite would bring highly advanced technology operations to Guilford County – as well as a large number of new jobs.
Baker said the airport is currently doing rough grading in more sections of the megasite to prepare them for new tenants. He also said the airport is continuing to purchase more property to grow the aviation site. The current grading effort prepares the land to the extent possible, but leaves it in a condition where it can be tailor fit – or rather tailor graded – to the exact specifications of the incoming companies once those companies decide on PTIA and determine which parcel they will build on.
PTIA purchased Pleasant Ridge Golf Course twenty years ago as one key building block for the megasite and, over the years, the airport has purchased vacant land as well as some occupied residential property. Now the megasite is hitting its stride.
If things go as expected, 2023 may be a very big year for announcements coming out of PTIA.
This is good news! My question is; how much is this going to cost the taxpayer? Favoring one business over another is much less than unfair, it is undemocratic.
Why don’t your rescind this obscene property tax increase? That will benefit EVERYONE including businesses and their employees. A great reason to live here.
But no, it is favoritism for those on the inside, the recipients of govt largesse.
About time but I’ll believe it when I see something concrete.
When you have a beautiful convenient airport in Greensboro, but you have to drive to RDU for a flight. Not fair!
There will be flights at GSO, when they get more passengers. Econ 101.