From “Pie in the Sky” to Reality, Officials to Celebrate Opening of New $27 Million NCWV Airport Terminal

A project that started several years ago but has been discussed for decades is about to become reality Monday. This coming Monday, August 17, the North Central West Virginia Airport will have a dedication and grand opening ceremony for its new multi-million dollar terminal.

The event, which is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. at the new facility, is open to the public. It is located off Jerry Dove Drive, which is accessible in Harrison County from U.S. Route 50 and Interstate 79 in Bridgeport.

“We’ve been working toward this goal for a long time. It’s here, and we’re already thinking about what’s next,” said Rock. “For now, we’re going to be excited about this, and excited for the community and those who made this happen.

“I’m so very proud of (Deputy NCWV Airport Director) Shawn (Long), (Airport Consultant) Anthony (Bellotte), members of our (Benedum Airport Authority) Board, our staff, and everyone that had a hand in this,” he continued. “Getting everyone involved gave us a chance for success about a project talked about for decades, but getting its start heavily a little less than 10 years ago. Now, we’re here.”

Rock’s statement on decades-long talk is not hyperbole. As back as far as 2001, current Airport Authority member Roger Diaz talked about the need to prepare for a new terminal and saying it cannot be viewed as “pie in the sky.” Eventually, “the pie” came down to earth and the ingredients began to bake in 2018.

“It was in 2017, probably 2018, that we started talking about money moving, dirt, how to get grant dollars, how to use TIF funds, how to invest our dollars to make this happen,” said Rock.

Rock pointed to former Harrison County Commissioner and Benedum Airport Authority President Ron Watson’s decision to put current President and County Commissioner David Hinkle on a special projects committee as a key to getting the ball rolling. Rock said when former Bridgeport Mayor Andy Lang joined Hinkle when Lang assumed the city’s spot on the Authority and joined the projects committee, things took off.

Since then, things exploded – particularly in 2021. A little more than five years ago, ground was broken in June of that year for the first phase of the project, which was a $10.5 million earth-moving project by Wolfe’s Excavating that was largely funded by a $10 million grant secured by then Gov. Jim Justice. The project moved 3.1 million cubic yards of earth and created more than 100 acres of flat, developable land, including the land the terminal sits on.

The $10 million grant was presented by Justice in August of 2019 as planning ramped up. The grant was from the West Virginia Infrastructure Jobs Development Council,

After the earth was moved, the $27 million terminal was built along with numerous other projects done in conjunction. The final of the big-ticket projects was completed when Anderson Excavating, earlier this summer, wrapped up a $3.3 million paving project.

The total for that work, taxiways, aprons, roadways, site prep, a traffic signal, and more? Rock estimates it was around $70 million and with what he called “relentless efforts” to secure grants the debt remaining is around $13 million with a plan already in place to service it.

“We needed this terminal because we had to find a way to take advantage of the growth we were having, and not just our growth. On the other side of the runway is substantial growth by the MHI (Mitsubishi Heavy Industry) Regional Jet facility,” said Rock. “We needed the ability to grow and not be in one another’s way. This allows that.”

Rock said the project seeing completion from groundbreaking to final paving, which also includes acreage for the West Virginia Aerotech Park, being done in roughly five years broke all the timeline projections.

“Every challenger, any type of adversity, this team found a way around. It came back to good planning and the will to see this through,” he said. “It’s a result of everyone involved knowing what this airport means to this community. We understand it in terms of flight service and in terms of economic impact.”

The old terminal will still see regular service today through the end of Monday. Monday will be the last flights where passengers will board and depart on the Route 131 terminal building that was built in 1965.

Rock said everything is in place to manage passengers for the United Express flights and Allegiant flights at the new terminal, which includes the new escalator and the luggage carousel. TSA will also be in place.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey is expected to be on hand for the event. He also said additional state, Harrison and Marion County dignitaries, and municipal officials are anticipated to be there.

The event, as noted, is open to the public that may want to get a look at the new building. Rock said there will be plenty of food served at the event as well.

Editor’s Note: Top photo is of the new terminal, while the second photo is from 2019 showing Gov. Jim Justice, right, inside the current terminal building after presenting milliions grant money to the NCWV Airport as Rick Rock, middle, and Ron Watson, look on. Third photo shows Rock with Justice at the groundbreaking for the Aerotech Park in June of 2021. In the four image, Authority member David Hinkle is shown at a meeting at the terminal building with Senator Shelley Moore Capito. In the bottom photo, Anderson Excavating is shown finising up the paving project at the airport.