MANKATO — The $1.2 trillion federal spending bill signed into law Tuesday by President Trump includes $3.5 million for Mankato’s planned air traffic control tower, Republican Congressman Brad Finstad announced.
The appropriation is the first piece of what will need to be a substantially larger federal contribution if the $25.3 million addition to the Mankato Regional Airport is to be constructed. City officials are expecting federal funding supplied via the Federal Aviation Administration to cover just over $24 million of the total cost, so the dollars approved in the Consolidated Appropriations Act will either lessen the amount required from the FAA or be available for other expenses.
The city is also seeking nearly $1.3 million in state funding from Minnesota lawmakers in the legislative session that will begin in two weeks.
“Over the past sixteen years, the Mankato Regional Airport has seen significant growth. This site is an important resource for south-central Minnesota, and I’m proud to help secure funding which will reinforce the airport’s safety and support the critical needs of the great folks who work there,” Finstad, a Republican from New Ulm, stated in a news release. “It’s an honor to bring these federal dollars home to Mankato, delivering this critical investment which will result in necessary improvements that will benefit the many communities and residents that MKT serves across southern Minnesota.”
The local airport has become increasingly busy in recent years due to its heavy use by Minnesota State University’s popular pilot-training program. The airport, based on the total number of takeoffs and landings, is now the the third busiest in Minnesota and easily the busiest facility in the state operating without the safety enhancements that come with an air traffic control tower.
Mankato hopes to begin construction of the tower, which will be the height of an 11-story building, later this year and have it operational as soon as 2027.