In a move to attract new businesses and companies to locate to the sprawling site of the Roswell International Air Center, state lawmakers have approved up to $5 million in infrastructure improvements.
The funding is part of a more than $532 million in capital outlay funding projects passed by members of the New Mexico State Legislature, with every item subject to the final approval of New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.
The $5 million for the Roswell airport would pay for road improvements on both the east and south sides of the airfield, as well as utility infrastructure.
The airfield infrastructure upgrade has long been touted by local officials and is listed as a priority item in Chaves County’s Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan.
The funding comes as the airport has just received a $750,000 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to jump start a new United Airlines service connecting Roswell with Denver.
Late last year, the airport also secured some $1.2 million in funding from the FAA for taxiway rehabilitation work. That project is expected to see work sometime this summer.
If the Governor approves the $5 million infrastructure capital outlay for the airport, work could begin sometime next year.
By Garry Boulard
