Peoria Standard

U.S. Representative Darin LaHood highlighted the ongoing construction at Peoria International Airport in a Facebook post dated October 21. He expressed gratitude towards Gene Olson, the airport's director, for his dedication to bringing a new tower to the facility.

"I was honored to be a part of the groundbreaking ceremony for the new control tower at the Peoria International Airport this morning," said LaHood, according to Facebook. "My office has been proud to support the project and help secure federal funding over multiple appropriations cycles, which will provide a much needed upgrade to the safety and efficiency for flights and passengers. I want to express my gratitude to Peoria International Airport Director, Gene Olson, for his tireless effort to bring this new tower to the airport!"

The replacement of the existing tower has been a long-term project for Olson, who serves as Director of Airports for the Metropolitan Airport Authority. According to WCBU.org, Olson has been involved with this initiative since 2009. The first phase of construction will utilize local funding combined with $30 million in federal support. Building the new tower is expected to cost an additional $27 million. Olson is collaborating with Illinois' congressional delegation and the U.S. Department of Transportation to secure federal grants. "We're hopeful that we can, you know, pick up as much funding as possible through the grant program," said Olson, adding that they would need to find alternative funding sources if necessary.

Screenshot of U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood's Oct. 21 Facebook post | U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood Facebook page

According to an October 25 article on Yahoo News, days after the groundbreaking ceremony for the new tower, the Metropolitan Airport Authority of Peoria received a $13.51 million grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Airport Terminal Program. This is supplementary to $30 million in grants already secured from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other sources under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With an additional $2.29 million match from local resources, total funding for the project stands at $45.8 million; approximately $13.5 million more is needed for full financing.

The new tower will meet all FAA requirements regarding visibility on airfields and comply with health, fire egress, and Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

Congressman LaHood has represented Illinois since 2015 and currently serves constituents in the 16th District following redistricting changes from his initial representation of the 18th District until 2023. His political career includes four years in the state senate and over nine years as a state and federal prosecutor, including work as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Las Vegas.

LaHood holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Loras College and a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois-Chicago John Marshall Law School and resides in Peoria with his wife.