CKB Sets Grand Opening for New Passenger Terminal After Years of Development
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — A yearslong effort to transform the North Central West Virginia Airport will reach a major milestone next week as the airport opens the doors of its new passenger terminal to the community.
The airport will hold a public grand opening celebration Monday, Aug. 17, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., giving residents an opportunity to tour the new terminal before passenger operations officially move into the facility.
The community celebration is free and open to the public and will offer a behind the scenes look at the new space.
As part of the airport’s partnership as the Official Airport of WVU Athletics, WVU basketball players are also expected to attend the celebration, with opportunities for autographs and photos with the Mountaineers.
The opening represents the culmination of one of the largest infrastructure and economic development projects undertaken at the airport in decades.
The new terminal provides more than 50,000 square feet of space, significantly larger than the approximately 14,000 square foot terminal that has served the airport for years. The facility includes expanded passenger areas, new ticketing and baggage facilities, updated security infrastructure and additional space designed to accommodate future growth.
A new parking area with more than 500 spaces is also part of the development.
The terminal is one piece of a much larger investment in the airport property that has included extensive site preparation, taxiway and apron improvements, parking, roadway infrastructure and the development of additional acreage that can support future aviation and economic development projects.
Funding for the expansion was assembled over several years through a combination of federal, state and local investment.
The project received significant support from West Virginia, including $20 million in state backed funding announced in 2019 to help move the airport development forward. Federal funding also played a major role, including a $15 million Federal Aviation Administration Airport Terminal Program award in 2022 for construction of the new passenger terminal, along with other federal investments supporting terminal and airfield infrastructure.
Harrison County, Marion County, the City of Bridgeport and the Benedum Airport Authority have also contributed to the broader effort.
Beyond providing a new terminal for travelers, the project created additional developable property around the airport that local leaders have viewed as an opportunity to continue expanding the region’s aerospace and aviation industry.
The existing passenger terminal is also expected to remain part of the airport campus, with portions of the building planned for private and charter aviation operations and other potential uses.
After years of planning and construction, the Aug. 17 celebration will give the public its first opportunity to take a closer look at what airport officials are calling a new era for air travel in North Central West Virginia.
The community celebration will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17, and is open to the public.
