By Bonnie Culverhouse

City of Minden’s airport is being upgraded in order to make it even more of a money-making venture.

Minden Mayor Nick Cox believes that with a low-match grant, the city will be able to build three “nice-size” hangars, which will bring revenue through rentals and fuel sales.

“We also get rated by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) according to how many aircraft are located at our airport,” Cox said. “If you go from 10 to 15 aircraft, it helps your numbers, and that’s the formula by which they rate our airport.”

All 30 hangars are currently leased, and the City Council is interested in adding two more that are 60’ by 60’ and one that is 60’ by 80.’

“The hope is to do them connected … just one long building, but we are waiting for the State Fire Marshal to bless it,” Cox said. “We should be able to get planes in the two smaller buildings and three in the larger one.”

Hangars rent for around $200.

Many of the airport’s upgrades have been funded by federal grants.