Construction begins at new Northwest Florida International airport

Nicole Mezzasalma

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Initial building phase will include a 105,000sq ft (9,754sq m) terminal with eight gates

The Panama City-Bay County airport authority held a ceremony to mark the start of construction of the new Northwest Florida International airport, to be built on a 4,000-acre (16.1m sq m) site donated by The St Joe Company. The project includes a 40,000-acre (161.8m sq m) conservation area within the 75,000-acre (303.5m sq m) West Bay Sector, a development that will include commercial, retail and industrial space, residential units, hotels and two marinas.

The initial development of the airport is planned for 1,200 acres (4.8m sq m) and will include an 8,400ft (2,560m) runway that can be extended to 12,000ft (3,657m), a 5,000ft (1,524m) crosswind runway and a phase one terminal building of about 105,000sq ft (9,754sq m) with eight gates. The site has significant room for expansion that could include a second 8,400ft parallel runway.