Historic Douglas Municipal Airport Up for Sale

Friday, March 18, 2022 at 10:42 AM ET

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In order to be eligible for grants from the FAA, the airport needs to be part of the National Plan of Integrated Airport System (NPIAS). Douglas Municipal is not. [Douglas Municipal Airport: Save The Airport Facebook Page]

Key Takeaways:

Douglas Municipal Airport is being considered for sale by the city due to its inability to fund critical repairs, including a $4.4 million runway reconstruction, and its ineligibility for FAA grants.
The proposed sale comes with strict conditions requiring the buyer to keep the airport operational as a public-use facility, complete significant runway repairs within 24 months, respect its historical designation as the first international airport in the U.S., and repay $467,000 in state grants.
Community feedback on the potential sale is mixed, with some residents opposing it while others suggest developing it into a fly-in community.

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When you can’t afford to make necessary repairs to something you own, such as your home or your car, one option is to sell it and let the buyer make the repairs. That is essentially what is happening in Douglas, Arizona, where the mayor and city council ordered the staff to appraise Douglas Municipal Airport (KDGL) and seek community input on its potential sale.

“We have received a lot of comments from the community saying not to sell the airport,” said Luis Pedroza, deputy city manager and city treasurer for Douglas. “We have also received feedback from some to develop it, to potentially a fly-in community.”