TEXARKANA MAGAZINE
In turn, the terminal is named the Jim E. Yates Terminal in memory of the late Jim Yates. Members of the Yates family stood alongside local officials during the ribbon cutting on June 28 as they celebrated the monumental opening of the airport terminal. Although Mehrlich quickly shares accolades with many others, Rob Sitterley, President and CEO of AR-TX REDI, praises Mehrlich for his leadership and oversight of the airport and the terminal project. “I knew Paul was our guy the first time I met him,” he said. “He has increased our exposure nationally and works with me to attract companies to the airport and our region. Our visionary leader sees
airport will lead to jobs, stimulate the economy, and provide a steady revenue stream to move the airport to financial self-sufficiency. These pending projects are predicted to bring several hundred jobs to our area. Arkansas State Representative Carol Dalby shares these sentiments and feels the airport terminal project is a crucial component to the future expansion of commercial aviation and economic growth in our region. Congressman Nathaniel Moran has expressed his support of the airport terminal, the runway expansion, and the impact of the project on the future of our region. “Transformational
the value of bringing companies to our city. Most people in Orlando and Las Vegas have never heard of Texarkana. Paul is out there promoting our city at the national level. We will improve the economy by leasing land and filling this area with projects. The airport is the economic driver of the cities.” Both Sitterley and Mehrlich discuss the value of Texarkana College, establishing an aviation program that will begin in the Fall of 2024. The airport campus will house the Airframe and Power Plant Mechanic training program. This initiative and letters of interest from prospective industries that plan to lease property from the
economic development projects like the one unfolding at the Texarkana Regional Airport come only as the result of visionary leadership at the local level, combined with strong partnerships at the local, state, and federal levels working in tandem with undeterred resolve to overcome inevitable obstacles and push the project to successful completion. The airport expansion projects need to be completed in full. It is an economic truism that infrastructure always precedes economic growth, development, and new opportunities. I am certain that time will once again validate this truth in Texarkana when
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COMMUNITY & CULTURE
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