SULLIVAN COUNTY — “Incredible and stunning.” These were the words New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez used to describe the new Sullivan County International Airport terminal as she addressed county officials, media, and community leaders Tuesday morning.

The airport, which is maintained and operated by the county’s Division of Public Works, provides facilities and services to corporate and private aircraft.

The new terminal’s revitalization is just one of nine among upstate New York which received a share of $18.5 million from the overall  $230 million from Governor Kathy Hochul’s Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition funding. The goal of this funding is not just to upgrade the nine airports, but bolster their ability to compete on the aviation stage from a national and global level.

“From the upgraded sustainable features to redesigned interior spaces, these improvements were made with the modern traveler in mind,” stated Dominguez. “As you can see, from the look of that lighting fixture, from the floor-to-ceiling windows that we have here, and the ability to take advantage of natural light, it really does give visitors and travelers a panoramic view of the incredible Catskill mountain range that we have in front of us.”

Of course no vision is complete without teamwork, and Dominguez acknowledged the hard work and input of many individuals from Sullivan County officials such as County Chair Nadia Rajz and Vice Chair Joe Perrello.

She also commended Sullivan County Manager Josh Potosek and NYS DOT Deputy Engineer Carlos Rivera’s leadership.

Dominguez also reflected on the airport’s long history from the first year of operation in 1969 to its role as a “vital connector” for the entire Catskill region.

One of the speakers, Assemblywoman Paula Kay, praised the project for being a model of partnership and economic development.

“It is a great day to be here in Sullivan County celebrating a project that represents what’s possible when vision meets partnership,” stated Kay. “This transformation of Sullivan County International Airport didn’t just happen overnight. It took dedication, collaboration, and steady hands at the controls from start to finish.”

Rajz, who also spoke at the event, noted the importance of the airport’s role in attracting business aviation and corporate jets. She also highlighted the continuing of propeller-drive aircraft support that have long been a staple of their operations.

“Looking into the future, we may even seek to bring back our air shows which once wow’d thousands right outside these windows,” hinted Rajsz. “Wouldn’t that be a wonderful comeback? This project would not have been possible without the foresight  and faith of our Governor Kathy Hochul and this entire county is grateful for her attention to - and confidence - in this airport.”

Sullivan County Partnership President and CEO Marc Baez underscored the wider impact that this project brought about in terms of infrastructure investment.

“We may be small and we may have had our challenges over the years. I’ll remind you, in Sullivan County where we had double-digit unemployment, but we didn’t have hope before this airport,” noted Baez. “We didn’t have the hope that it has now. Due to the vision of the legislature, folks in this room, and the pilots - we can’t forget the pilots.” 

He added, “Keep an eye on us; we are on the map. We’re going to continue to thrive and move froward.”

The 2025 county budget identified the airport as “an underutilized asset” that “could prove to be a money-maker for the county.” Funded by both the county and grants for specific projects, the total expenditures were proposed at just over $2 million in the 2025 budget, with revenue projected at $679,000.

The event finished with a ribbon cutting ceremony as Sullivan County Director of Communications Dan Hust invited media and curious attendees to a tour of the facility.

The revitalization of the airport was conceived back in May of 2023 with funding by the New York State Department of Transportation. Said project aimed to create a modernized, 15,000-square-foot energy-efficient terminal that would provide a warm welcome and pleasant experience for visitors, community members, and local businesses.

Speaking of warm welcomes, through all the speakers, the hope remained the same: the new terminal’s upgrades will attract new business, community events, and especially tourism. All to solidify the airport as a regional economic engine.