A view of the Carson City Airport and vacant land to be leased near the main parking lot on April 18, 2025.
Photo by Scott Neuffer.
Plans for more hangars and a restaurant at the Carson City Airport are a step closer on the long path to realization.
On April 16, the Carson City Airport Authority voted unanimously, with Tim Puliz absent, to award a lease (a minimum 64 cents per square foot) to Eagle Valley Airport Development LLC, a fixed base operator. The lease area totals 2.48 acres situated between College Parkway and the main airport parking lot to the northeast.
Airport Manager Corey Jenkins told the Appeal the proposal met minimum requirements in a public bid process but still needs approval from the Carson City Board of Supervisors and the Federal Aviation Administration.
“This is only the very beginning,” he said. “We’re just starting the process.”
Any development at the airport must undergo such review, Jenkins said. He expected the lease to go to supervisors in the next two months and to the FAA in a year or more.
According to Jenkins, Eagle Valley Airport Development is proposing four buildings containing eight hangars. There would also be commercial space including 2,500 square feet for a potential restaurant and 1,250 square feet for a potential pilot shop.
The restaurant, Jenkins said, is proposed to have two levels with views of the airport from the top floor.
“It would absolutely be open to the public,” he said.
However, Jenkins tempered expectations: “Even though it’s not guaranteed it’s actually going to be built. There are still a lot of steps to go through to get to that point.”
The preliminary nature of the agreement didn’t preclude enthusiasm, however. Jenkins mentioned a hangar shortage across the country. He posited hangars and ancillary development support the local economy, giving examples of Carson-based Click Bond and Redwood Materials using the airport.
“A lot of people don’t realize the significance of the airport being here,” he said. “It’s an economic engine for economic development for the area. These companies need that resource to do that business.”
The proposed hangars under the lease agreement would be used for small corporate aircraft, Jenkins said.
During the April 16 hearing, Airport Authority board member Michael Golden praised the team behind Eagle Valley Airport Development.
“It is valuable land with both airside and off-airport access. Very few parcels have this type of visibility and access,” Golden said. “I think the proposal that came in from the applicant looks great. I’m thrilled to support it.”