Clearwater’s small general-aviation field is in line for a big-ticket makeover, and the decision could slide through on a quick vote Monday night. The Clearwater City Council meets March 30 at 6 p.m. in the Main Library council chambers with a short but weighty agenda that puts a roughly $13.66 million construction contract for a new Air Park terminal at Clearwater Executive Airport on the consent calendar, along with a $2.4 million state grant amendment to help pay for the work. Residents can speak in person or use the city’s online comment portal to weigh in before the vote.
What Council Will Vote On
The council packet lists item ID#26-0267 to approve a construction contract and purchase order to Bandes Construction Company for the new Air Park terminal in the amount of $13,659,750, and item ID#26-0302 to accept a Florida Department of Transportation grant amendment for $2,400,000 toward construction of the terminal and an FBO building. Both items are parked on the consent agenda, which means they can be approved in a single motion with little or no debate unless a council member pulls them for discussion, according to the City of Clearwater agenda.
What's At The Airpark
Clearwater Executive Airport, which city materials note was renamed from Clearwater Airpark in 2025, currently operates a compact 2,114-square-foot general-aviation terminal that the city has slated for replacement. The airport lists its field address as 1000 N. Hercules Ave., and city and airport materials describe the project as a new terminal and FBO building intended to support corporate hangars and tenant services, according to the Clearwater Executive Airport website.
Who Would Build It
The agenda identifies Dunedin-based Bandes Construction Company as the recommended contractor for the job. The firm lists a portfolio of municipal and commercial work across the Tampa Bay region, and its online profile and public business records show experience on local public-works and education projects that city staff reviewed as part of the procurement.
How It's Paid For And How To Weigh In
City documents describe funding for the project as a mix of local dollars and outside grants. The city's 2025 annual report notes that officials secured multiple grants tied to a new terminal and corporate hangars, without spelling out every source. Residents who want to chime in can submit eComments through the council portal or sign up to speak in person, and written comments received by 5 p.m. the day before the meeting are added to the official record, according to the city's 2025 annual report.
What Comes Next
If the council signs off on both items Monday night, the agenda authorizes city officials to execute the construction contract and accept the state grant, which would move the terminal project into pre-construction and permitting. Local reporting first flagged the meeting, and future council packets and planning files are expected to spell out the project's construction timeline and any required public hearings as the city moves from paperwork to shovels. Neighbors and pilots are likely to track noise and operational impacts as the work advances, according to WTSP.
