Evan Lester, the new Executive Director of the Smyrna Airport, has jumped into action with both feet. After seven years working for Tennessee Department of Transportation’s Aviation Division, where he was managing the Airport Planning and Environmental Division previously to coming to Smyrna, Lester is happy to be back at Smyrna Airport where he interned after completing his Master’s Degree in Aerospace at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU).
“Every airport is different,” noted Lester. “There are all different kinds, shapes, sizes, areas of operation. Working at the state level gave me an amazing opportunity to learn so much that I can apply here. And the entire time I was here as an intern, I was working closely with John [Black, my predecessor] and [Deputy Director]Salil [Rai], on the master planning process for the airport, including some the runway projects we are working on now. And I really got to know this airport very well prior to coming here, which I think has helped with the transition…It is allowing me to carry on John’s legacy, and the Airport Authority’s legacy, that they have been planning for years.”
Big Plans for Smyrna Airport
Smyrna Airport is the busiest general aviation airport in the state and the fourth busiest of all airports in the state. The airport has a significant economic impact on not only the community but also the state.
In 2018, TDOT Aeronautics did an economic impact study and it found that Smyrna Airport had a $232 million economic impact annually, including the town and the state. That is due to 51 businesses currently located on the airport grounds. And the airport supports directly and indirectly 1,500 jobs. One of Lester’s biggest goals is to continue that success.
The airport is owned by both Rutherford County and the Town of Smyrna. So, anything that they do has to be done with the approval of both parties. And all efforts of the airport are overseen by the Airport Authority, a group of five individuals.
To continue to grow economically, the airport is developing a 40-acre site that will attract more skilled, high-paying jobs to the community. Having MTSU, Austin Peay State University, Motlow State Community College, and Tennessee College of Applied Technology locally to supply the workforce for these jobs is very attractive to businesses.
The airport is continuing to grow. They are working with TDOT and the FAA to rehabilitate or reconstruct all of the airport’s runways. They have some runways that have already been reconstructed, and others that will soon be getting a redo. The next runway to be reconstructed will take $30 to $40 million to complete, and Lester is working with the FAA on how they will pay for it.
“As far as infrastructure, one of the biggest things that will be a centerpiece for this airport will be a new air traffic control tower,” said Lester. “The current one is 71 years old and it has far outlived its useful life. That is one big part of our future, to make sure we have facilities that are meeting today’s standards and providing safe and usable service for all of our users.”
Another plan over the next five to ten years is commercial air service. The airport has reserved a location on their property to build a future passenger terminal.
“It’s going to take some time,” added Lester, “it’s not going to happen overnight. We have to work with the community, making sure the community is engaged and willing to accept the passenger service. We have to make sure the town and the county are comfortable with it, and then ultimately we have to work with the airlines to make sure they want to come here.”
There would be between five and eight gates serving Airbus or CRJ-type planes, which would service between 75 and 150 passengers per plane coming from just about anywhere in the country.
Tennessee National Guard Moving to Smyrna Airport
“Another big topic is the Tennessee National Guard moving to the airport,” said Lester. “They are relocating from Nashville International to the Smyrna Airport. We are working through the details right now on all of that. It is very preliminary. We are on step one, but it is going well. Working with the state, working with the Tennessee National Guard has been a pleasure. Ultimately, they are moving here because their lease is ending in about 20 years.”
While 20 years sounds like a long time, it is in fact very short for the process that the National Guard must go through to make it happen. This includes getting necessary funding, buying land, and building the necessary facilities. They hope to be moved to the Smyrna Airport by 2031.
“It is going to be such a huge economic impact for this community,” explained Lester. ”About 1,100 jobs will be coming to the Town of Smyrna, and over an eight year period, after we get the property in place for them, and everything is built out, there will be a $1.8 billion economic impact. The people I have talked to are excited about it because this used to be Seward Air Force Base.”
The Army National Guard will also be bringing their assets here. And they will be bringing about 18 helicopters. Just the infrastructure alone for that project will be $500 million. They are already starting to build out a new facility in Smyrna for aircraft maintenance.
While the Army National Guard already owns land at the Smyrna Airport, they are going to move all of their assets and facilities to the Smyrna Airport from Nashville.
“It is two separate efforts, it is a full relocation of both the Army National Guard and the Tennessee National Guard to Smyrna,” said Lester.
Supporting the Community
Smyrna Airport also supports the community with both the Great Tennessee Air Show, which will be taking place June 7 and 8, 2025, and the Wings of Eagles Fish Fry on September 13, supporting the programs of the Smyrna Rotary Club. This year, the event will honor the Tuskegee Airmen. They were the first Black aviators in the United States Army Air Corps.
“We will have the Tuskegee Airmen here with their trailer [full of historical information] and their aircraft,” added Lester.
The evening before the fish fry, the airport will also be a host to the Top Gun 6K, an annual fundraiser to support the maintenance of the Captain Jeff Kuss USMC Memorial located adjacent to Lee Victory Recreation Park.
“This year is going to be a little different because it is going to be the sixth year of doing the Top Gun 6K,” explained Lester. “Jeff Kuss’ number was six [as a Blue Angel], and the town of Smyrna is going to put on a big celebration for the event.”
The Top Gun 6K is unique in that it is a walk/run that is completed at night, part of the running taking place on the airport development. They come through the airport gates and onto the tarmac.
“I want to do it one year,” said Lester. “It is so fun watching it from here. It’s like, holy smoke, they were fast!”
During the past 33 years, the Airport Authority has invested over $245 million into the airport and has been named Airport of the Year for the State of Tennessee twice.
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