Palm Beach County commissioners on Tuesday accepted a state grant of more than $6 million. The money will cover the cost of renaming the airport President Donald J. Trump International Airport.
The grant comes from the Florida Department of Transportation. According to WPBF, the funding means the cost of rebranding the airport will not fall on the county’s aviation fund. State authorities say taxpayers will not pay for the name change.
Earlier, the Palm Beach County Department of Airports estimated the total cost of implementing the new name at about $5.5 million. That includes new signage and changes to the airport’s visual identity, among other things. The grant therefore exceeds that earlier estimate.
State Rep. Meg Weinberger of Palm Beach Gardens confirmed the funding to WPTV and WFLX. Weinberger, a Republican, had earlier secured partial funding for the rebranding. According to WPBF, she lost her reelection bid last week.
The airport, previously known as Palm Beach International Airport, was officially renamed on July 9. The county continues to manage the airport, its finances and decisions about its operations. The name change does not affect day-to-day passenger service.
The airport’s name has drawn reactions from residents. This summer, county officials reported more than 5,000 comments and complaints since the beginning of the year. They also spoke of the need to strengthen security at the airport, including fences, cameras and bollards. They did not, however, disclose details or funding sources for that work.
Source: Sun Sentinel
KN
Source: Słoneczne Radio
