NATCHEZ — Cooperative Energy announced the Natchez-Adams County Airport Commercial Terminal Project as the recipient of the prestigious 2026 SPARK Award, recognizing extraordinary achievements in economic development within Cooperative Energy’s service territory.
This year’s award honors the teamwork of the Natchez-Adams County Airport along with the Adams County Board of Supervisors, City of Natchez, Natchez, Inc., contractors and numerous sub-contractors to return commercial air service to the region. This project was nominated by Natchez, Inc. for the award.
After more than 30 years without scheduled commercial air service, Natchez celebrated the historic return of daily commercial flights on July 1, 2026. This date marked the launch of daily non-stop United Express service (operated by SkyWest Airlines) connecting Natchez directly to United’s major international hub at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to come on board as the Airport Director. We formed a fantastic team of engineers, contractors, and consultants to make this project happen. Having their expertise was key in executing this major project in just six months. We are also thankful for the community support of this new service as we reach the milestone of two months of flights to and from Natc(HEZ)” said Carl Beasley, Natchez-Adams County Airport Director.
"Bringing commercial air service to Natchez is transformational for our community and our region,” said Chandler Russ, executive director of Natchez, Inc. “We didn’t simply restore air service, we created a new gateway for business, investment and tourism. More importantly, this project demonstrates what can happen when the city, county, state, federal and private sector partners support a shared vision. This is economic development at its best: set an ambitious goal, build the right team and get it done.”
To prepare for commercial service, work officially began in February 2026 to transform an existing 10,000 square-foot hangar into a modern, fully functional passenger terminal. In just six months, the team achieved milestones that typically require up to two years, establishing full TSA compliance, complete facility federalization, secure ticketing and baggage infrastructure, passenger waiting areas, and custom aesthetic touches unique to Natchez.
Remarkably, physical construction was completed in just 17 weeks, a testament to the dedicated project team, which included Thrash Commercial Contractors, Waycaster Dungan Architect and Engineers, Brett Simon with BJS Aviation, Vasey Aviation Group, and Neel-Schaffer Engineering. Cooperative Energy Member, Southwest Electric, played a critical role in meeting the construction timeline with electric upgrades, including power pole relocation, single-phase to three-phase upgrades, and new metering.
“The Natchez-Adams County Airport Commercial Terminal Project was a challenging, but meaningful project for our company to serve,” said Kevin Bonds, CEO of Southwest Electric. “We understand the meaningful impact commercial air service has on our Members. Residents can fly to visit out-of-town family, businesses can more easily access our area to invest in, and tourists can more readily visit the area we call home. This project extends beyond setting power poles and truly enhances the quality of life in our service territory,” Bonds said.
This multi-agency effort was driven by many partners. The Adams County Board of Supervisors, City of Natchez, and Natchez, Inc. worked in close alignment to secure critical state and federal funding resources. The Federal Aviation Administration, the Mississippi Department of Transportation, and the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) were funding partners for this project. The Mississippi Development Authority participated through funding with the Mississippi Air Service Development Program and the Mississippi Air Service Growth Program. MDA’s funding supported both construction as well as a marketing campaign to raise awareness of the new commercial service that serves not only Natchez, but also southwest Mississippi.
“This project proves what is possible when a community sets a goal and works together to make it a reality,” noted Mitch Stringer, director of economic development at Cooperative Energy. “Presenting the Natchez-Adams County Airport Commercial Terminal Project with the 2026 SPARK Award celebrates not just a new airport terminal, but the spirit of teamwork that powers real progress in Mississippi.”
Cooperative Energy is the generation and transmission partner for 11 Member-owned electric distribution cooperatives. Known as the Power of 12, Cooperative Energy and its Member cooperatives work together to provide safe, reliable, and affordable power from the Mississippi Delta to the Coast. The 11 electric cooperatives own and maintain more than 58,000 miles of distribution lines and provide service to more than one million Mississippians throughout 55 counties.