Grant Funding Propels Growth at Claremore Regional Airport

February 18, 2022

Last week our team had the opportunity to publicly announce that Claremore was one of 28 communities selected by The Oklahoma Department of Commerce (Commerce) to receive funding to support the development of new industrial sites to market. The Claremore Industrial and Economic Development Authority (CIEDA) was one of 39 organizations to apply for Commerce's Targeted Opportunities Program (TOPS) in late 2021.

CIEDA will utilize these funds to bolster growth and development at the Claremore Regional Airport. The financial support provided through this grant will allow Claremore to invest resources and professional services as it strives to serve as Northeast Oklahoma's premier regional airport destination.

Many are unaware that Rogers County is home to its own regional airport facility. The Claremore Regional Airport is owned by the City of Claremore and managed by an on-site team overseen by CIEDA. This facility is a true community and economic development asset and is currently home to 42 hangar bays, 51 tenants and 87 based aircraft.

The airport is primed for future development, with more than 40 acres available for expansion. The location is already home to two business operations, Jaeger Aircraft and ForwardVUE Aviation Services. We hope to see this number grow as Claremore positions itself as an aerospace hub. Less than 11 miles away, the Claremore Industrial Park is home to a growing aviation sector. Aerospace manufacturers located within the park include BlueArc Metal Specialties, Pryer Aerospace, and MST Manufacturing.

Commerce created the TOPS initiative from a portion of a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) for local economic development organizations (EDOs) or consortiums of EDOs for site and infrastructure evaluations. The Claremore Regional Airport is limited due to a lack of stormwater, wastewater, and natural gas infrastructure, and no additional development can take place within the airport until improvements can be made.

The grant funds awarded to CIEDA will be crucial in enabling the organization to move forward with utility upgrades to allow growth for future t-hangar units and business operations. The sky is truly the limit on the possibilities for advancement available at this "secret" Rogers County gem!

You can find more information on the accommodations offered at the Claremore Regional Airport on our website at claremoreairport.com.
To learn more about the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and the TOPS grant program, visit okcommerce.gov.
 
All my best,
Meggie Froman-Knight
Executive Director – CIEDA