Airport director reports accelerating operations, terminal rehab progress and tenant updates
January 23, 2026 | City of Vero Beach, Indian River County, Florida
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The Airport Director (name not specified) gave a multi-topic update on capital projects, tenant activity and operations at the City of Vero Beach airport. He said phase 1 of the terminal rehabilitation (baggage makeup area) is substantially complete and should be available late February except for some restroom work; staff installed new LED fixtures and temporary benches to support a provisional baggage claim area.
The director said staff is preparing an RFP for a car-parking expansion and is working with a consultant (Handsome Professional Services) and FDOT to re-scope a paving project to add employee and cell-phone-lot parking. He said a consolidated rental-car facility has completed site-plan review and is in permitting; that move would free 30 terminal parking spaces currently leased to Avis.
On development and tenants, the director said Patterson is developing hangars on the North Ramp and that a tenant is planning a larger hangar; he cautioned that a developer request to split a hotel parcel could delay infrastructure timing and risk FDOT funding if delays extend.
On demand, he reported fast growth: Breeze carried 85,728 passengers in its first partial year; passenger counts rose from 175,995 to 259,040 year-on-year in subsequent reporting; and "we have 338,000 operations in 2025," he said, a an all-time high recorded by the control tower. Operations manager Brandon Dambeck said ops-net comparisons place the airport among the busiest Class D airspaces in the Southeast and sixth busiest Class D in the U.S.
Staff also described coordination for the May air show, ongoing tenant compliance work (fire-department citations being addressed), and implementation of a FAA-approved safety management system now live and accepting reports. Commissioners pressed on flight-school delays and taxi times; the director said survey work and minor taxiway improvements are planned to reduce crossings and delays.
Next steps: staff will finalize RFP timelines, continue permitting and developer coordination, and return with updates on FDOT funding timing, tenant compliance remediation and the parking RFP.
The director said staff is preparing an RFP for a car-parking expansion and is working with a consultant (Handsome Professional Services) and FDOT to re-scope a paving project to add employee and cell-phone-lot parking. He said a consolidated rental-car facility has completed site-plan review and is in permitting; that move would free 30 terminal parking spaces currently leased to Avis.
On development and tenants, the director said Patterson is developing hangars on the North Ramp and that a tenant is planning a larger hangar; he cautioned that a developer request to split a hotel parcel could delay infrastructure timing and risk FDOT funding if delays extend.
On demand, he reported fast growth: Breeze carried 85,728 passengers in its first partial year; passenger counts rose from 175,995 to 259,040 year-on-year in subsequent reporting; and "we have 338,000 operations in 2025," he said, a an all-time high recorded by the control tower. Operations manager Brandon Dambeck said ops-net comparisons place the airport among the busiest Class D airspaces in the Southeast and sixth busiest Class D in the U.S.
Staff also described coordination for the May air show, ongoing tenant compliance work (fire-department citations being addressed), and implementation of a FAA-approved safety management system now live and accepting reports. Commissioners pressed on flight-school delays and taxi times; the director said survey work and minor taxiway improvements are planned to reduce crossings and delays.
Next steps: staff will finalize RFP timelines, continue permitting and developer coordination, and return with updates on FDOT funding timing, tenant compliance remediation and the parking RFP.
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