Off a quiet county road between Mineola and Quitman sits an economic gem whose possibilities promise to yield huge dividends in the years to come.

The Wood County Airport will celebrate a big milestone Saturday morning with the ribbon cutting for the 1,000-foot runway extension, a project that has been ongoing since state funding was announced in the summer of 2023.

The airport officially resumed operations on Friday, Oct 24 after a three-month partial shutdown while contractors finished the project.

Final inspection was held last Wednesday.

The significance of the $9 million project cannot be understated.

The extension brings the airport up to a level almost unimaginable just a few years ago, when airport supporters wondered if such a project would ever be completed, given the expense.

But when State Rep. Cole Hefner managed to get the $8 million state appropriation approved in the 2023-24 biennial budget to pay the bulk of the cost, it set off a far-reaching chain of events.

The significance of 5,000 feet is that it allows jets to use the facility.

Already a busy airport that houses 54 planes, manager John Wisdom predicts that within five years that number could easily double.

He is already getting calls from companies inquiring about hangar space for corporate aircraft.

Plans for a jet center are already in the works, which will make the airport even more attractive, allowing planes housed there to also be serviced.

The Wood County Economic Development Commission is ramping up plans in two key areas – aviation training (pilots, mechanics, etc.) and aviation-based businesses.

In addition to Collins Field being extended 1,000 feet to the north, the runway was also widened 15 feet to 75 feet.

Previous improvements to the parallel taxiway ensured the airport would be ready for larger craft as it is already up to standard.

In addition to room for another row of smaller hangars on the south end of the airport, there is plenty of room along the east side of the north end, which is where the jet center is planned and many more rows of hangars, including larger structures.

In addition to the impacts for business and tourism, the extension has many other potential benefits.

For example, if the area suffers a natural disaster, emergency supplies can be flown directly into the county rather than miles away to Tyler or Sulphur Springs.