The Kansas City Aviation Department has taken the first steps to develop the last 20 acres of available land at Kansas City Downtown Airport-Wheeler Field (KMKC).
The $55 million development will include a new FBO led by Kansas City-based Apex Aero Center, featuring a 15,000-square-foot terminal building and more than 150,000 square feet of new hangar, office, and maintenance space.
The Kansas City Aviation Department has tapped Airside Innovation Missouri to take on the project.
“The Downtown Airport is an incredibly important asset to not just the aviation department, but the city as a whole. This development shows the continued growth of KMKC and its importance to the city as an economic driver,” said Melissa Cooper, Director of Aviation for Kansas City.
A highlight of the project is the planned expansion of the Red Tail Academy, a Kansas City-based nonprofit focused on educating and mentoring underrepresented youth in aviation, according to city officials.
“By expanding Red Tail’s programs at the Downtown Airport, we’re helping ensure that young people — especially those from communities historically underrepresented in aviation — have a real and direct pathway into rewarding technical, mechanical, and piloting careers,” added Kerry Gooch, co-founder of Red Tail Academy.
The project is expected to be finished early to mid-2027. The developer plans to break ground as soon as final permitting and regulatory approvals are obtained in 2026.
For more information: KCAirports.com
KMKC has needed this expansion for over a decade.
Diehard CHIEFS fan!