Minden-Tahoe Airport in Nevada is considering landing fees and additional hangar development as officials look for ways to increase airport revenue. Douglas County commissioners were told last week that 72 people were waiting for hangars, while the airport’s current online waitlist now shows 81 applicants.
Commissioners also approved a strategic plan prepared by airport advisers as the airport works on an update to its master plan. Airport Manager Heather MacDonnell said the strategic plan outlines what the airport wants to accomplish, while the master plan will address how those goals could be implemented.
Airport Looks for New Revenue
“To be more financially stable we have to grow,” MacDonnell told The Record-Courier. “That means building more hangars, imposing extra fees, and bringing more people into the airport in order to grow to accommodate the rising cost of operation.”
Airport advisers are exploring landing fees and bonding to finance additional hangars. The airport operates through an enterprise fund, and rents were brought to fair-market value last year.
Douglas County owns and maintains 80 hangars at the airport. Applicants seeking one of the county-owned hangars must pay a nonrefundable $100 deposit to join the waitlist. The deposit is credited toward the security deposit if an applicant eventually receives a hangar.
Planning for Growth
“An active topic is to find innovative sources of revenue,” Advisory Board Chairman Steve Sliwa told The Record-Courier. “We hope to use the master plan to excite people to make investment in our airport.”
These articles need to start diving into the costs of running the airport. It will bring to light the fact that this is expensive AND some (not all) of that expense is bloat.
We all want nice things (tenants, governments, etc)…when others are paying for it.
One of the main factors in lack of hangar space are garage queens that never get used, others turned into man caves, and others repurpoused. I once taxed by an open hangar witched was turned into an autobody shop. All of this has to stop.
Landing fees are not a good way to encourage visitors.
In theory it isn’t allowed, but enforcement is almost nonexistent
You make the assumption that the landing fees discussed by the airport are just for visitors.
Another airport to charge landing fees? I’ve been flying into Oakland, North Field for decades. On June 11th this year I landed there in my 2-seat single and about a month later received a bill in the mail for $86.25 from a third party contracted with KOAK. Aside from being surprised, seemed kind of steep for a plane that weighs 1600lbs. Nothing to do with using an FBO that generates money for the airport also. Just the fact that I landed, once. ADSB based fees, started late last year. Because ‘they’ can.