Council to consider renaming Springfield Airport Terminal after U.S. Senator Roy Blunt

Springfield's City Council will consider renaming the Midfield Terminal at Springfield-Branson National Airport to the Roy Blunt Terminal at its Monday night meeting.

The airport itself will remain named Springfield-Branson National Airport with the call letters SGF.

Roy Blunt represented Missouri in the U.S. Senate for two 6-year terms. He declined to run for reelection this year and will be replaced in the Senate by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt. Prior to his Senate service, southwest Missouri elected Blunt seven times to the U.S. House of Representatives. Before serving in Congress, he was a history teacher, a Greene County official, and Missouri Secretary of State. Blunt also served four years as the president of Southwest Baptist University, his alma mater, in Bolivar, Missouri.

“Senator Blunt has a long legacy of outstanding public service that has benefited the community greatly,” said Springfield Mayor Ken McClure in a statement. “Throughout his long political career, he has been a strong advocate for investment in and improvement to our nation’s transportation infrastructure; especially in interstate highways, public transit systems, freight rail, and airports. He has always fought for this region, and his ability to secure funding on everything from roadways to mental health treatment to innovation and entrepreneurship, just to name a few, will be a part of his legacy.”

The SGF Airport has received several federal grants to construct, maintain, or improve critical airfield infrastructure, including runways, taxiways, and apron areas, because of Blunt's lobbying in Congress.

“Senator Blunt was instrumental in securing federal funding and helping to overcome obstacles during the development of SGF’s Midfield Terminal that opened on May 6, 2009.  This modern 275,000 square foot facility with 10 airline gates is a showpiece for Springfield and will continue to serve the air transportation needs of our region for decades to come,” said airport Director of Aviation Brian Weiler in a statement.

Blunt supported several airport economic development projects, such as advocating with American Airlines to establish a state-of-the-art airline maintenance facility that opened in December 2021.  He also helped secure funding to build a new aircraft mechanic training facility for Ozarks Technical Community College, which is expected to open in late 2024.

“Senator Blunt is an inspiration,” McClure added.

“Born in the small town of Niangua and grew up on a dairy farm, Roy Blunt is a fifth generation Missourian who was the first in his family to graduate from college. Roy Blunt worked tirelessly to represent and advance issues for Southwest Missouri, including at the Springfield-Branson National Airport. This is a fitting honor for this kind and generous statesman.”