Recent Study Points to Amazing Success of GLPC-Run Airport
South Lafourche Airport’s total economic output in 2019
(CUT OFF, LA) – The South Lafourche Leonard Miller, Jr. Airport continues to make a name for itself in general aviation airport circles, as shown by a recent state-commissioned study revealing the Galliano-based airport ranked fourth overall in total economic benefits with a net output of $97,628,000 in 2019.
This represents a jump of more than $25 million since the last time this study was performed in 2015.
Overall, the airport continues to see tons of activity with nearly 130,000 passengers traveling in and out of Leonard Miller Jr. in 2019.
“These figures tell us a lot,” GLPC Executive Director Chett Chiasson said. “When our Board of Commissioners purchased the airport from the parish in 2001, we did so knowing it was an investment in the future of Lafourche and the oil and gas industry our valued tenants service. Obviously, our commissioners were right, and this speaks to that when we see the volume of passengers using our airport, and how we are ranked fourth out of 61 general aviation airports in Louisiana.”
Throughout the years, what started out as an airport in dire need of capital investment has been completely reimagined and now features a 6,500-foot long runway, full instrument landing system, an AWOS weather system, full parallel taxiway, 24/7 self-service fuel station, and a pilot’s lounge.
Investments from GLPC and dollars derived from successful grant applications and capital outlay requests have put the airport in a position to be what it is today, Chiasson said.
These investments were recognized by companies such as Chevron, who relocated their airport operations in Port Fourchon to Galliano in 2014 because they saw the value of having a large-scale facility located inside the flood protection levee where they could safely and efficiently ferry their workers on and offshore.
Future plans call for even more development at the site of the airport. Along with finalizing design work to build a new hangar, GLPC is currently in the midst of working through the design-bid-build module to make use of a $16.4 million federally awarded BUILD grant for the construction of an Airport Corridor and Bridge that will one day allow for the development of a true industrial park adjacent to the airport.
“Between working with Lafourche Parish Government and going after capital outlay dollars that we are additionally matching with our own dollars, we believe this $35.2 million project will bring about tremendous investment in our parish because it will allow for larger trucks to transport goods and services directly from our airport down to Port Fourchon,” Chiasson said.
To view the complete economic impact study, click here: http://wwwsp.dotd.la.gov/Inside_LaDOTD/Divisions/Multimodal/Aviation/Aviation%20Documents/Economic%20Impact%20Study%20Update%202019.pdf.
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