Aerospace Center for Excellence and Sun ‘n Fun President John “Lites” Leenhouts officially opened the organization’s new mobile airshow command center on Tuesday. The three-story modular facility can simultaneously serve as a control tower, airshow announcers’ box and air-ground safety center. Sun ‘n Fun also plans to rent out the building, which was constructed from shipping containers.
“This is … the highest technology airshow control facility ever made and this was all a brainstorming idea put together by our team,” said Leenhouts. “And all of it comes together so we can use this not only here but anywhere we can get it to.”
The new command center was created in partnership with mobile event solutions company MyBox. According to Leenhouts, the building was originally intended for use at the Super Bowl before the event was downsized due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The facility will see its first use at this year’s Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo, which will run from April 13 through April 18 at Florida’s Lakeland Linder International Airport (KLAL).
