Jacober: Not the biggest, but hopefully the most beautiful airport in the world
In last year’s election, 67% of Pitkin County voters approved a ballot question to modernize our airport. This mandate by the voters and upcoming decisions by the Board of County Commissioners and the Airport Advisory Board will not come easily. This is a huge task, and the hurdles and the opportunities are tremendous. The scope of the work needed to finally bring our airport into the 21st century is unprecedented, and the cost, to be honest, is staggering.
Fortunately, this investment in our future will NOT come from increased taxes for our citizens. The construction of a new runway, mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration, is estimated to cost around $270 million, but these costs will be offset by federal grant dollars — up to 90%. The new terminal and multimodal transit center will not be eligible for the kinds of grants that we anticipate will be awarded to the runway construction, and its design and construction is estimated to cost around $305 million.
The bottom line on your ballot: We need to secure bonding to finance the terminal. Our county charter requires the BOCC to seek voter approval in order to incur debt — even with an enterprise project as this one at the airport. The state does not require voter approval for incurring of debt for enterprise funds, but our charter is stricter than the state laws. So, we come to you to ask approval to secure bond funding.
The bonds we are seeking will NOT require taxpayer dollars. Because we will be using revenue bonds, the financing will be repaid and supported by revenues from the airport itself. The Atlantic Aviation lease revenues, combined with airport fees, will support the repayment of our bond funding.
I traveled to Portland, Oregon, to meet with the architects, ZGF, whom we have hired to do this project, along with our local architect Charles Cunniffe, who will be working with ZGF to design our terminal. The goal is a terminal that is environmentally sound, beautifully designed, locally inspired, and future-ready. Every aspect of the plan is grounded in the Common Ground Recommendations.
These recommendations are available for viewing on the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport website (aspenairport.com). They were developed over several years by more than 100 local citizens, and they incorporate progressive, sustainable, environmentally-sensitive recommendations, as well as a commitment to being true to Aspen’s history, both architecturally and socially. As we move forward towards a new runway and a new terminal, the Common Ground Recommendations are at the forefront.
We will submit our grant applications for the runway construction in the spring of 2026. In addition, we have completed the Environmental Assessment, which has been approved by the FAA, and now we are ready to move forward. Once runway construction begins, we can apply for funds for the terminal. This opportunity is short-lived — the grant program window closes in July 2026. These grants help us to reduce the bonding amount. If we can secure the bond funding through the ballot measure, then we will be able to apply for terminal funds through the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program in a timely manner and our goal is to complete construction in nine months, limiting airport closures to that period.
Aspen and Pitkin County don’t need a large airport — we need a better one. Voters have been clear: It’s time to build a 21st century airport with enhanced avionics, TSA and passenger security and comfort, and an airport that reflects the beauty, sustainability, and welcoming atmosphere that meets the needs of all of us.
Please help us create the new Aspen-Pitkin County Airport by voting “yes” on 1A, approving bond funding without increasing taxes.
Francie Jacober
Aspen
