Springfield City Council renames airport's Midfield Terminal after retiring Sen. Roy Blunt
With Springfield Mayor Ken McClure calling the retiring Republican an "inspiration," city council Monday night unanimously approved renaming the Midfield Terminal at Springfield-Branson National Airport after Sen. Roy Blunt.
"This is the very fitting tribute to Senator Blunt. The Springfield-Branson National Airport would not be what it is today without the efforts of then congressman and now Senator Blunt ...," McClure told his fellow councilmembers while presenting the bill. "Our state and our nation have been incredibly well served by this statesman. He's one of us. He lives in Springfield. It is right and fitting that he be honored by his hometown in this manner in an institution — the airport — that he has done so much to make it what it is today."
While Midfield Terminal will be renamed, 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 is an inspiration,” McClure continued. “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."
McClure has a longstanding relationship with the Blunts and served as chief-of-staff to the senator's son, Matt Blunt, when the younger Blunt was Missouri's governor in the mid-2000s.
City Director of Aviation Brian Weiler pointed to the elder Blunt's help securing funding over the years for several federal grants to construct, maintain, or improve critical airfield infrastructure, including runways, taxiways, and apron areas.
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"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 Weiler in his remarks. “He has actively supported key 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, and most recently helping to secure funding to help build a new aircraft mechanic training facility with Ozarks Technical Community College expected to open in late 2024.”
Senator Blunt has served in several leadership positions on a variety of legislative committees. In those positions, Weiler noted Blunt regularly sought out input from local southwest Missouri officials.
"He had me come up to Washington D.C. a few years ago and testify on an aviation security bill, which I will tell you it's a bucket list item for us. It was really cool to just have a voice in national policy that goes on. We're certainly going to miss him in that role," Weiler said. "I think this is a fitting tribute, and it would be an honor to have our terminal named for such a great man."
A public ceremony to celebrate the name change is planned Dec. 16, 2022. Private donations have been raised to purchase and install signage and a plaque.