Kansas City adding terminal, hangar space with $55M downtown airport development

The last 20 acres of land available at Kansas City Downtown Airport will be developed.

The city announced in a news release that the aviation department selected Airside Innovation Missouri for the $55 million project, which will include a new fixed base operation led by Apex Aero Center as a first point of contact for visitors arriving at Wheeler Field, just north of the river from downtown.

A 15,000-square foot terminal building and over 150,000 square feet of new hangar, office and maintenance space will serve business, government and general aviation users, according to a news release.

“The Downtown Airport is an important asset to not just the aviation department, but to the city as a whole,” aviation director Melissa Cooper said in a statement. “This development shows the continued growth of (the downtown airport) and its importance to the city as an economic driver.”

The project also includes an expansion of Red Tail Academy, a local nonprofit that focuses on educating and training underrepresented youth in aviation.

“By expanding Red Tail’s programs at the Downtown Airport, we’re helping ensure that young people — especially those from communities historically underrepresented in aviation — have a real and direct pathway into rewarding technical, mechanical, and piloting careers,” Kerry Gooch, co-founder of Red Tail Academy, said in a statement.

The project is expected to be finished by mid-2027. Construction could begin as soon as the developer receives permits and regulatory approvals in 2026.