Part Two: The Land, the Jobs and the Future: Why the Airport Matters to Salina’s Next Chapter
The airport’s effect on Salina is not only about what already exists. It is also about what the city is building around it.
One of the clearest signs of that came last summer, when the City of Salina approved the rezoning of 80.42 acres near the Airport Industrial Center from agricultural land to I-3 heavy industrial. In the ordinance, the city said the property was suitable for industrial development because of its proximity to the Airport Industrial Center and existing city utilities. It also said the tract is within the city’s urban service area and shown as a future employment area in the comprehensive plan. That is not just paperwork. That is the city positioning more land around the airport for future business growth.
That matters because it shows Salina is not treating the airport like a standalone facility. The city is treating it like a development corridor. The runway, industrial tenants, cargo access, utilities and available land all work together. That is part of why the airport continues to matter even to people who rarely fly. The jobs tied to the airport support households. The businesses around it support suppliers, restaurants, fuel sales, hotels and other local spending. The land around it is being positioned for more industrial use. It is one of the few places in Salina where transportation access and expansion room come bundled together.
The impact study also suggests the airport’s true value may actually be higher than what was measured. Researchers said some businesses and organizations did not provide usable survey responses, meaning parts of the final estimate had to be built from secondary data and conservative assumptions. The report says that likely means the totals are smaller than they would have been if full primary data had been available. It also noted that some broader community and recruitment benefits are hard to quantify in dollars, even though they clearly matter when new business prospects are looking at Salina.
That may be the biggest takeaway after looking through all of it. The Salina Regional Airport is not a side asset. It is not some isolated property west of town that only matters to pilots or frequent travelers. It is one of the main reasons Salina continues to function as a regional center for jobs, business activity and outside investment. The flights matter. The tenants matter. The land around it matters. And if Salina is going to keep growing its industrial and business base, the airport is likely going to stay right in the middle of that story.