Henry County’s airport is next to the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton. It only sees about 15 departures and arrivals each week.
To attract more corporate jets, the county will officially change its name to the Atlanta Speedway Airport next year, extend its runway and add things like new terminals.
The airport recently submitted its five-year, $19 million capital improvement plan to the Georgia Department of Transportation to seek federal and state funds to add fencing, build a new terminal and extend its runway.
This could mean more competition for Metro Atlanta’s airports, but Peachtree-DeKalb Airport director Mario Evans said he doesn’t see it that way.
“Every airport within this community is an economic development engine for the community, so I support [Henry County] 100 percent,” Evans said.
Metro Atlanta airport directors said it could help the area.
About 20 minutes away from Henry County, Spalding-Griffin Airport is getting ready to build a $60 million dollar replacement airport, partly to attract corporate clients.
“Any kind of growth in the aviation industry, any type of improvement to the access of the national air transportation system in this region is good for all of us,” Spalding-Griffin Airport director Robert Mohl said.
The directors of DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, Paulding Northwest Atlanta Airport and Cobb County International Airport said they don’t view Henry County’s airport as a threat to their operations or as competition.
“Any upgrade at any airport is good for aviation and therefore good for all users of the national airspace system,” said Terry Tibbitts, director of Paulding Northwest Atlanta Airport.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport also accommodates corporate flights.
