WISCONSIN RAPIDS – Residents and visitors to the Wisconsin Rapids area will likely see updates at South Wood County Airport-Alexander Field after receiving a federal grant.
The Federal Aviation Administration awarded a $2.7 million grant on May 19 to renovate and modernize the airport’s 1970s-era terminal facilities in an estimated $6 million project set to begin in 2027, according to a news release.
“It is an honor to be the only general aviation airport in the state to have been chosen for this highly competitive grant,” Jeremy Sickler, airport manager, said in the release. “The terminal modernization project will help us provide a more welcoming experience for passengers and the community while positioning the airport to better support regional economic development.”
What improvements are planned at the South Wood County Airport?
The 491-acre airport property located near the city’s southern limits on the east side of the Wisconsin River is planned to receive improvements that will modernize terminal areas and passenger and crew areas, increase accessibility for people with disabilities, create energy and other building system efficiencies, provide year-round indoor and outdoor gathering and observation areas, and update technology and operations, according to the release.
“Airports are gateways to opportunity,” Brad Hamilton, Airport Commission chairperson, said in the release. “This funding will help ensure Alexander Field continues to meet the needs of travelers, businesses, and the broader community for years to come.”
Alexander Field was considered the largest airport in the state by acreage when it was first built in October 1928 as the Tri-City Airport, according to the airport’s website. It was originally built to serve Nekoosa Edwards Paper Company’s corporate flight activities and later served as an Army Air Force training facility and radio base in the early 1940s.
Ownership of the airport was transferred to the five neighboring communities in the area in 1961 in the form of the South Wood County Airport Commission, which includes representatives from the City of Wisconsin Rapids, City of Nekoosa, Village of Port Edwards, Village of Biron and the Town of Grand Rapids, according to the airport’s website.
“Our local airports are vital hubs that connect businesses and visitors throughout the Badger State,” U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), said in a May 19 news release regarding a total of over $12.5 million in grants awarded to Wisconsin airports. The grants aim to support airport infrastructure with funds including $8 million to Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport and $2 million to Appleton International Airport.
“As our communities grow, our airports need to be ready to handle increased traffic and keep travelers safe,” Baldwin added. “I was proud to support these investments so our airports can grow and serve our communities, businesses, and visitors for years to come.”
Airport traffic has increased nearly 600% since Sand Valley opened
The expansion and increasing popularity of the nearby Sand Valley Golf Resort, which opened in the Town of Rome in Adams County in 2017, spurred additional use of the airport, which was growing slowly since planning for the resort took a significant step with the purchase of property in 2013, according to the 2025 Alexander Field/South Wood County Airport Master Plan. The airport has seen a nearly 600% increase in use since the resort’s opening, going from about 50 flights in 2014, to over 200 in the resort’s first year, to over 600 flights in 2021, and nearly 700 in 2024, according to information in the news release.
Airport use is projected to expand to around 800 flights in 2026 with the opening of Sand Valley Resort’s sixth golf course, called The Commons, which is aimed toward more casual players and families, according to the resort’s website.
Initial airport expansion projects completed in 2018 with the help of $4 million in state and federal grants expanded a paved aircraft parking area, or apron, adjacent to the runway and constructed a 13,200 square foot transient hangar, which served crucial roles in accommodating the airport’s recent increase in usage, according to the release.
More information can be found on Alexander Field – South Wood County Airport’s master plan website.
Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Contact him at epfantz@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune: $2.7M federal grant supports South Wood County Airport terminal update
Reporting by Erik Pfantz, Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune / Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune
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