CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WV News) — Officials gathered at the West Virginia International Yeager Airport Tuesday to participate in a ribbon cutting for its new U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility.
The facility marks the airport as an official port of entry to the United States, a place where someone may lawfully enter the country.
This will allow the airport to facilitate international travel among private or cargo aircrafts, Gov. Jim Justice said in 2019 while requesting funding for the project.
“At West Virginia International Yeager Airport, we’re building for the future. The state-of-the-art U.S. Customs facility provides world-class service to the corporate and general aviation community,” airport Director and CEO Nick Keller said. “Having a Customs Facility makes CRW a destination of choice for international business travelers while providing a great first impression for those doing business in our state.”
Justice was one of many officials on hand to cut the ribbon for the new facility Tuesday.
“We have tried so hard for decades, decades and decades to make moments like this happen on West Virginia…This is going to create so much egg-sucking business you can’t keep up with it,” Justice said at the event, according to a Twitter post from the airport.
Also at the event were Kanawha County Commission members, Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin, Marshall University President Brad Smith and West Virginia's U.S. senators, Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito, among others.
Sen. Capito noted the importance of the airport as an economic driver and that the new facility would aid in that function.
“It’s hard to believe that before today, Yeager Airport did not have a customs building. Yeager Airport — as well as our other airports across West Virginia — are critical economic drivers, which is why improving and maintaining them is just as important,” Capito said. “The addition of this new customs building will help our efforts to continue building the international presence that will help our state grow economically, and I’m thrilled to be a part of today’s ceremony to officially open this new facility.”
Manchin touted the opportunities the facility opens on the international level.
“Today’s ribbon cutting for the U.S. Customs facility at the West Virginia International Yeager Airport marks a major milestone to further opening our state to international trade and connecting us with new business opportunities in the global marketplace,” Manchin said. “I have worked with the airport for years to expand CBP operations after securing a new Customs officer for Yeager Airport in 2016. This is an unbelievable opportunity for the state of West Virginia, and for this state-of-the-art facility to be right here in Charleston, in the capital city, is really, really special.”