FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Fulton County leaders today broke ground on a new customs facility at Fulton County Executive Airport, a move expected to allow international flights and streamline arrivals.
The airport, formerly known as Charlie Brown Airport, is located approximately six miles west of downtown Atlanta near Interstate 20 and Fulton Industrial Boulevard.
The new $2.8 million customs facility is a key step in a broader effort to modernize the airport and attract major corporations to the county.
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Channel 2’s Richard Elliot learned the project is funded through a combination of federal, state and county money.
“This means, and this is important, that international travelers will be able to clear customs right here at our airport, making arrivals more seamless, more secure and more efficient,” Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts said.
Pitts also highlighted the potential for expanded air travel.
“The significance of that is that when, that’s complete, you will be able to fly directly from here to Europe non-stop, and that’s a big deal, and that deserves a round of applause,” he said.
Fulton County Commissioner Bridget Thorne expressed optimism about the long-term impact on the area.
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“Hopefully, we come back to this field in five more years and it will be blossoming with all kinds of development, and also a halo effect to the entire South Fulton region as well,” Thorne said.
The customs facility is part of a larger plan for the airport, which includes a potential 1,000-foot runway extension. This extension would require the construction of a runway bridge over Fulton Industrial Boulevard.
The county manager estimates that the total improvements to the Fulton Industrial Boulevard corridor will cost approximately $140 million.
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