Lake Wales Airport Hosted Florida Secretary of Commerce, Regional Planning Council Tour

Lake Wales Municipal Airport was among stops on a multi-county tour hosted by the Central Florida Regional Planning Council for Florida's Secretary of Commerce Alex Kelly.

The multi-county tour was conducted in partnership with cities, counties, and economic development partners over two days on April 8th and 9th. The visit aimed to showcase rural communities, aviation, and the work of the many economic development agencies in the region.

Courtesy CFRPC

Lake Wales City Manager James Slaton, (R) speaks with Florida Secretary of Commerce Alex Kelly and other officials during a tour of the facility, part of a tour of regional assets organized by the Central Florida Regional Planning Council.

Lake Wales City Manager James Slaton was present during the tour of the airport, which has seen dramatic changes in recent years and is emerging as a potent tool for future economic development of the area.

Improvements at the airport have made the field accessible to more business jets and larger aircraft.

Close on the heels of a project that added 1400 feet to the 'Alpha' runway designated 6-24 for its compass headings, the airport has seen the addition of full taxi-ways on that runway as well as "Bravo," 17-35, a new fuel form offering conventional and jet fuels, the reconstruction of the apron which serves the fueling station while also providing tie-down accommodations for parked aircraft. All these projects were funded largely by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Courtesy City of Lake Wales

Improvements to Lake Wales Airport have allowed the accommodation of larger aircraft, such as this corporate jet. Increased business traffic at the airport is among the goals of the improvements, which have been funded largely through grants from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Other improvements have included fencing, runway lighting, and additional hangers.

Because of the cooperation of cities and counties, "we were able to facilitate an amazing tour to bring awareness of the efforts and opportunities in the Heartland region," according to a statement issued by the CFRPC. "We gained invaluable insight from you, the experts about our community assets and most pressing needs."