Gulf Shores City Council unanimously approved a resolution at its Monday, June 10, meeting that allows the airport authority to move forward with a $5 million grant toward its passenger terminal project.

This FAA grant was subject to the city's approval and submission on the week of June 10, with Gulf Shores agreeing to match the funds and making up to $3 million available for the project's completion as a loan from the city to the authority.

"The airport was one of 144 airports nationwide to receive a grant for our airport terminal program," City Administrator Jon Walker said. "The airport authority did receive $5 million that does require a match. As part of that, the airport did solicit bids for this terminal project. In a meeting last week, they did open those bids and subsequently awarded the bid two days later to a group, Persons Services Corporation."

The city expects to have a groundbreaking for the project in August or September and hopes to see terminal services open by fall 2025.

"It's been a process." Councilman Jason Dyken added. "We've had starts and stops, redesigns, reevaluation, strategic partners, losing strategic partners, so it's been a long path. I think we've finally got to a place that we have a very viable building that can be built, is affordable and should provide an opportunity to capture some airlines and begin having commercial service here. Now again, the industry is a very complex industry, and there's a lot of nuances in getting airlines here — some factors within our control, but then a lot of factors that aren't under our control."

Gulf Shores has also agreed to both rename the position of airport manager and reclassify the position to the market pay grade, as a professional services contract with ADK Consulting was authorized for the recruitment of a new airport director in a proposal funded by the airport authority, not to exceed $45,000.