The county’s plans for an overhaul of its general aviation facilities at John Wayne Airport – think private aircraft from little two-seaters to corporate jets – is now seeing ground break on a $100 million, 14-acre facility that will be the largest private investment in the airport’s history.

The OC Board of Supervisors previously approved 35-year leases with three operators that will help drive the county’s general aviation improvement plans and on Thursday officials celebrated the launch of Clay Lacy Aviation’s project to build a passenger terminal, four hangars and other facilities for services such as aviation fuel sales and flight training.

Clay Lacy will also build and lease an air support facility the Orange County Sheriff’s Department will operate.

Charlene Reynolds, director of John Wayne Airport, called Thursday’s groundbreaking for the general aviation facility the start to “a new era” at the airport. The project, plus $700 million the county is spending on a slew of improvements to the main airport facility, will transform JWA, she said.

“Today, we officially kick off what we call our construction phase of the General Aviation Improvement Program,” Reynolds said. “The GAIP in itself is a strategic investment in the airport’s infrastructure. Clay Lacy is the first of three fixed base operators at the airport who will help us transform the entire landscape of John Wayne.”

“That nearly $1 billion in collective investment not only helps our community, but our regional economy as well,” she added. “That means jobs and opportunities for our community at large.”

Developing underutilized land at the airport, the facility is expected to generate at least 180 jobs.

“This development is an investment in the future of Orange County, making Orange County stronger and more competitive on the world stage, to attract and entertain great businesses,” said Brian Kirkdoffer, owner and chairman of Clay Lacy Aviation. “It will be a welcoming gateway that makes the perfect first impression and provides world-class services that want people to return again and again.”

By including solar panels, EV charging and other sustainable technologies in the project, Kirkdoffer said Orange County will be at the forefront of the aviation industry. The facility will also support electric aircraft charging, as well as use sustainable aviation fuel.

Fifth District Supervisor Katrina Foley said she was grateful to Clay Lacy and John Wayne Airport for prioritizing a more eco-friendly approach to aviation.

“I’ve been working diligently with our John Wayne Airport staff, especially Charlene Reynolds, to green up and clean up the airport,” Foley said. “The future is a place where we can have opportunities for people to fly out of John Wayne Airport, but it’s cleaner for the community, it’s quieter for the community.”

The sustainable fuel is a game changer, Foley added.

“Because our airplanes fly over neighborhoods, we want to make sure that we are reducing pollution in our county. We want to make sure that the employees that are working with all these airlines have cleaner products to work with,” Foley said. “The future is to be cleaner and greener.”

Investment in the airport is long overdue, Foley said.

“John Wayne Airport is one of our economic drivers for the county. Lots of revenue is created here, lots of jobs are created here,” Foley said. “A billion dollar investment means that we can be more efficient, we can have better quality service for our customers. And we could be ready for the next 50 years or more for John Wayne Airport.”

The Sheriff’s Department currently houses five of its aircraft used for patrolling and search-and-rescue services in a decades-old hangar at John Wayne Airport, OC Undersheriff Jeff Hallock said.

“Our Air Support Unit, right out of the John Wayne Airport, responds to over 2,000 calls for service every year,” he said. “In addition to that, this is the location where all of our helicopters go through their routine and necessary maintenance, so it’s very important for us to have a facility and a hangar and a location not only to park the helicopters, but for that really critical work to get done.”

“This partnership and this relationship with Clay Lacy and John Wayne Airport is really allowing us to take what we feel is a top-notch Air Support Unit into the 21st century,” Hallock added.

Clay Lacy Aviation also presented Orange Coast College’s aviation science program with a $15,000 scholarship for students pursuing their flying certifications. This is an annual tradition for the aviation company. Stanley Harriman, program coordinator and professor at OCC, called the scholarships a “catalyst for change.”

Clay Lacy’s project will be split into two phases. The first phase, which includes some hangars and the terminal, is expected to be completed within roughly two years.

“John Wayne was rated as the No. 1 airport by J.D. Power this year,” Richards said. “But I promise you, the best is yet to come.”

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