MELBOURNE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the Orlando Melbourne International Airport would be the recipient of a $4 million grant to help improve infrastructure and attract new business.
The grant will allow the airport to begin construction of a new taxiway and other infrastructure improvements -- all on an undeveloped piece of land on the northwest portion of the airport's campus.
"We consider this to be the Silicon Valley of space and we want to continue with that," DeSantis said.
The money, which comes from the Florida Job Growth grant, would help the airport extend an access roadway. Some of the money will also be used to fund water and sewer infrastructure improvements.
"This is the result of a lot of planning," said Greg Donovan, the executive director of the airport. "A lot of work over the years to concentrate aerospace operations in our area."
Airport officials hope to have the improvements in place within the next year.
The state estimates the grant could help generate hundreds of jobs.
:quality(70)/mediaweb.wftv.com/photo/2018/11/08/APP%20DOWNLOAD%20BREAKING_1541693885545.jpg_13622061_ver1.0.jpg)
DOWNLOAD: Free WFTV News & Weather Apps
Not near a TV? Click here to watch WFTV newscasts live
Cox Media Group
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/EPITFP4YHRHSDBGVLWFOVKARXE.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/GU2LPZ7G2NCVHJS6BMOXWBWWOI.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/JTVU2V6QZJDPJOFRLIAS3424MY.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/GUAD4ABRCRB4LJ6TP72IOU75WI.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/GRZGPKEIUVHVFAVEGSOJSRA6JQ.jpg)