SRQ Airport pulls New College land sale request

**Key Point:** The Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority (SMAA) has withdrawn its request to sell 30 acres of land to New College of Florida, anticipating a denial from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) due to new guidance on future airport needs.

**Core Issue:** The FAA’s recent focus on accommodating vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOL) and drones has created uncertainty, leading the SMAA to believe that their request to sell the land would likely be denied.

**Next Steps:** New College and the SMAA will continue to collaborate, with the college focusing on improving its existing campus facilities.

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The Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority (SMAA) has decided to withdraw its request to sell 30 acres of land to New College of Florida, sensing that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would deny the request due to emerging uncertainties around future airport needs. The SMAA initially submitted the request on January 9, but the day before, the FAA issued guidance indicating that airports must consider how to accommodate electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles and drones as these technologies evolve.

In April, the FAA denied the proposed $11.5 million land deal, although it didn’t explicitly cite the updated guidance. The SMAA appealed the decision and had been awaiting a resolution. However, with the growing focus on eVTOL and drone technology, SMAA officials recognized that the FAA was unlikely to approve any land release that might be needed for these new aviation advancements.

Rick Piccolo, President and CEO of Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, noted that while the airport has sufficient land to meet general aviation needs, the advent of eVTOL technology—which doesn’t require traditional runway access—has complicated the situation. Piccolo highlighted that these electric aircraft, with ranges of 150 to 200 miles, could serve metropolitan areas like Tampa and Orlando from facilities known as “vertiports,” which are already in use in cities like Dallas and Chicago.

Given this emerging technology, the SMAA decided it was prudent to withdraw the land sale request. Piccolo explained that the FAA’s hesitation likely stems from the unclear impacts of eVTOL and drone operations, and the need to be cautious with land use decisions until more is known.

For New College, this decision impacts its plans to invest in the site, which is currently used for student housing, intramural fields, and education space. The college had been exploring ways to accommodate its athletic facilities and address the aging Pei dormitories. Despite the setback, New College President Richard Corcoran expressed gratitude for the SMAA’s efforts and emphasized that the school would continue to cooperate on future development matters.

The SMAA and New College plan to maintain their collaboration, with both parties aiming to align their long-term needs. Piccolo is optimistic that as the requirements for new aviation technologies become clearer, the FAA will provide more definitive guidance on land use provisions, potentially reopening the discussion in the future.

As the FAA continues to explore how vertiport and commercial aviation activities might coexist, there remains significant uncertainty. Currently classified as heliports by the FAA, facilities like the Dallas Vertiport and Vertiport Chicago are paving the way for urban air mobility, with the first U.S. vertiport hub planned for Lake Nona near Orlando. These developments underscore the rapidly evolving landscape of aviation, where new technologies are reshaping how airports and urban areas plan for the future.