Little Rock National (LIT) soon will join the ranks of about a dozen other airports named for former presidents and other notable leaders.
Effective immediately, the Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission will begin working with the Federal Aviation Administration to change the name to Bill and Hillary Clinton National; it’s long-standing name, Adams Field, will stay the same when referring to the airport’s runways and air traffic, as will the airport’s official designator, KLIT.
The commission cited many of the contributions the Clintons have made to Arkansas during their more than 30 years of service to the station and nation. The name change coincides with the airport’s 2020 Vision Plan, a major construction initiative under way.
“Bill and Hillary Clinton not only devoted years of service to Arkansas, but have served the nation as a two-term president, and as first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state – that’s a legacy of which all Arkansans can be proud,” says Jim Dailey, chairman of the Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission. “The Clintons continue to have a major impact on our state and our local economy, and we believe renaming our airport in their honor is a fitting way to recognize their service and their position in Arkansas and our nation’s history.”
Commissioners said the success of the Clinton Presidential Center and the visitors who travel through the airport to get there was among the reasons for its decision to rename the airport. The center is Arkansas’ No. 1 attraction for out-of-state visitors, with 2.5 million people having visited since its opening in 2004. Approximately $2.5B in economic development in downtown Little Rock has occurred since President Clinton announced his plans for the center, according to Downtown Little Rock Partnership.
Other airports named after presidents include Abraham Lincoln Capital (SPI), John F. Kennedy International (JFK), Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) and George Bush Intercontinental (IAH).
New branding and signage will arrive at the airport in the next few months. The airport is undergoing construction of Phase 1 of the 2020 Vision Plan, which includes upgrades to the ticketing lobby and baggage-screening area; the $67M initial improvements are slated to be completed in February.
The secondary, large phase of the project will occur over the next several years and include construction of a new terminal commons, a new 16-gate concourse, new baggage-claim area, international arrival facility, inbound roadway and parking improvements. All of the improvements will culminate in the airport becoming an international airport.
