The Orange County Board of Supervisors has awarded Clay Lacy Aviation a 35-year lease at John Wayne airport in California to build and operate an FBO that will serve as a business gateway for Orange County and contribute to a thriving general aviation ecosystem at the airport.

A lease was also awarded to current KSNA FBO ACI Jet. The other current based FBO, Atlantic Aviation, was unsuccessful in its bid and did not have its lease renewed.

Founded in southern California by a Hall of Fame aviator, and celebrating 52 years in business, Clay Lacy is an experienced and respected business aviation firm with the highest independent safety ratings and popular services. Prior to the Board of Supervisors' selection, the company was endorsed by the SoCal Pilots Association, the Airport Working Group of Orange County and Still Protecting Our Newport, and received unanimous support from the Orange County Airport Commission.

The 15-acre leasehold will feature a full-service FBO with more than 110,000 sq ft of hangar, 42,000 sq ft of offices and a private terminal that incorporates the latest in sustainable design and meets Envision Gold certification standards. The development also includes new facilities for the Orange County Sheriff's Department Air Support Bureau and Orange Coast College Aviation Science Department.

The new Clay Lacy facility will bring additional services to the airfield while providing 180 jobs across a variety of career tracks. Opportunities will include openings for pilots, maintenance technicians, finance and accounting professionals, sales and marketing experts, human resources and information technology specialists.

“Over the previous four years, we had many productive meetings and established positive dialogue with the local community and stakeholders,” explains Scott Cutshall, senior VP of business operations at Clay Lacy Aviation. “As a direct result of these conversations, we incorporated many features into our development that will be appreciated by airport users and the community.”

“Today begins a new chapter for general aviation in Orange County, and we are extremely grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of it,” adds Brian Kirkdoffer, president and CEO of Clay Lacy. “As Orange County's newest FBO, we will build world-class facilities, provide award-winning FBO services, create good-paying jobs and always be a good neighbour to the local community. This partnership will benefit the county, its residents and airport customers for decades to come.”