Facilitating growth
The City of Conway recently opened its new $30 million airport, Cantrell Field, and will be phasing out the city's previous airport, which was much smaller and played a role in two fatal crashes in the last decade.
"When we started this project many years ago, our first goal was to come away with a safe airport," Jamie Gates, senior vice president for Conway Chamber of Commerce, told reporters at the new airport's dedication ceremony.
"A lot of people and organizations worked hard to make this new airport happen. I'm proud Garver could be a part of it," said Garver Project Manager Blake Roberson.
Garver performed property acquisition services, surveys, preliminary planning and design, final airfield design, hangar and terminal building design, and construction support services for all phases of the new airport project. The design included substantial use of LED technology, which will provide the airport with significant savings in maintenance and utility costs.
"Conway is the first airport in Arkansas with LED PAPIs, and it's the first airfield in the country with all available LED technology installed," Roberson said.
A real estate developer has purchased the old airport with the intention of turning the property into a large space for retail shopping once the airport is completely closed. The $6.1 million realized from the sale of the old airport will go directly toward financing the new airport.
"This project has given the City of Conway a safe, business jet-capable facility to meet the demands of industry looking to do business here," Roberson said. "The first time I flew in here, I saw what every pilot and passenger who comes through will see—Conway has a world-class airport."
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