Amazon scales back Lakeland Linder expansion plans, seeks city's approval Monday

LAKELAND — Amazon has scaled back its plans to expand in Lakeland after widespread reports the company cancelled or delayed similar projects across the country this summer.Amazon seeks to lease an additional 10.6 acres to the immediate west of its existing cargo sorting facility, located at 4145 Kindron Road, from the city-owned airport. The company proposes to develop a fraction of the 63 acres set aside for its future with the city in May 2019 — and a far cry from the plans to double its footprint in May 2021.

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"After review of plans from their leadership, [Amazon's] decided to do a 1.5 expansion instead of a 2.0," Kris Hallstrand, airport director, said.

Amazon seeks to expands its aircraft parking to fit two additional Group IV aircraft, or Boeing 767s, and extend its space for truck parking. This would allow the company to bring in additional flights per day with parking for the planes, loading and unloading.

"In Lakeland, to meet the capacity of their existing building they need to bring in a couple more airplanes," Hallstrand said.

Currently, Amazon and its contracted carriers have 12 arrivals and 12 departures scheduled per day, according to the airport's Assistant Director Adam Lunn. This number can fluctuate a bit depending on weather and other factors.

"They have communicated to us they are looking at four additional flights in and four additional flights out," Lunn said. "They have not confirmed that with a published schedule."

To help move these planes around, Amazon seeks to make improvements to Taxiway A by extending it to connect to the apron where it parks jets, creating a second entrance or exit. Its construction is estimated to cost $1.7 million.

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"It matches with our master plan," Hallstrand said. "That section of taxiway would have to be built anyway."

Amazon did not immediately respond to The Ledger's request for more information on this proposed project.

Amazon's expansion's potential financial impacts

If Lakeland commissioners approve Amazon's request to expand, it will result in an expected uptick in lease revenue for the city.

The 10.6 acres would be leased to Amazon for 20 cents per square foot. Lease payments would start as soon as construction is complete or January 2024, whichever comes first. The expansion would increase the company's annual ground lease payment to the city by about $90,000 to $501,811 per year, with a 7.5% rent increase built in every five years.

In addition to rent, the city collects 85 cents per 1,000 pounds of cargo that comes through Lakeland measured by the gross landing weight of the aircraft and 3.5 cents per gallon of fuel pumped. In fiscal year 2022, Amazon paid $738,236 in landing fees and about $477,800 in fuel fees to the city. These numbers are anticipated to increase with the proposed expansion.

Under the negotiated agreement, the city would take control of the taxiway expansion and be responsible for its maintenance after construction. It would also agree to reimburse up to 70% of construction costs up to $1.2 million. This would be paid out over 15 years provided there's an increase in Amazon's cargo landing fees, not exceeding $80,000 per year.

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Amazon would keep the right to expand on 49.8 acres adjacent to its facility at the airport for five years under the proposed agreement, with rights to pay to hold onto the right for an additional five years.

"It’s the highest and best use for the city, the airport and Amazon," Hallstrand said. "For Amazon to use it in the future."

Lakeland's attempts to reroute planes

Lakeland residents spoke out against Amazon's initial expansion plans, stating the rumble of jet engines flying overhead was negatively impacting their quality of life.

Former Airport Director Gene Conrad started an effort to reroute the aircraft's flight path by working with Tampa Air Traffic Control and the Federal Aviation Administration in 2021. The city switched to a voluntary preferred runway that has flights arriving from the west end of the runway overnight between 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. when winds allow.

The FAA struck down the city's effort to set up a "visual approach" to Lakeland Linder in December 2021. The proposed "visual approach" plan would have guided incoming planes along South Florida Avenue, turning over the Polk Parkway to land at Lakeland Linder. A visual approach requires pilots to use landmarks and roadways to guide their flight path away from highly residential areas.

Last December, Lakeland city commissioners approved a $201,150 contract with Texas-based Hughes Aerospace Corp. to develop a "parkway approach" to Lakeland Linder International Airport. Lunn said the airport is waiting on Tampa Air Traffic Control's final input.

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"We are waiting on thumbs up, after multiple back and forth with Tampa, we’ve made our last adjustment," Lunn said. "We've asked them to please give us a "yes or no, as we're not looking to make anymore adjustments."

If Tampa gives the greenlight, Lunn said Lakeland Linder could have the proposed flight path submitted to the FAA's regional offices in Atlanta within a few days. The plans are printed and ready to be sent.

Lunn said the city's consultant said the revised flight path could be approved within roughly a year "if there are no hickups."

After the FAA review, Hughes Aerospace would have to have an aircraft fly along the proposed flight path to confirm all points with instrumentation before it would be published for pilots to use.

Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on Twitter @SaraWalshFl.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Amazon scales back Lakeland Linder expansion plans