Las Animas County Pursues EDA Funds to Modernize Perry Stokes Airport

Las Animas County commissioners are pursuing federal Economic Development Administration funding described as "millions" to modernize Perry Stokes Airport, beginning with long-deferred water and sewer upgrades that county leaders say are prerequisites for private investment and jobs. The airport sits about 10 miles northeast of Trinidad and is owned and operated by Las Animas County.

At a Feb. 18 work session in Trinidad, commissioners met with EDA Economic Development Representative Trent Thompson and local partners including Emergent Campus Executive Director Christine Louden, County Administrator Phil Dorenkamp, Commission Chair Felix Lopez, and a local fixed-base operator. Commissioners framed the effort around concrete infrastructure and employer commitments, saying "preparation must begin now" even if the project lands in the 2027 EDA funding cycle, and noting that "If Perry Stokes Airport is going to become more than a runway and a windsock, it will start with water in the pipes and jobs on paper." Commissioner Tony Hass added that "the wheels of progress are knocking at our door."

County planning documents cemented the scope: a Perry Stokes Airport Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) FY 2026–2035, prepared February 2026, and an Airport Layout Plan identify immediate and mid-term projects but show several items without secured funding. Projects listed for 2028–2029 include private hangar development, an AVGAS fuel truck, DLA and CAA fuel contracts, and parking lot repairs. The CIP also references a Hot Refuel Point Layout Diagram and maps future hangar development areas in green on the ALP. The ALP must be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration for any federally funded improvements, a step county officials say is essential before major grants can be spent.

Technical work to support grant applications and safety planning is already underway. EVstudio provided survey mapping for Perry Stokes Airport, led by Professional Land Surveyor Mike Kervin, using advanced GPS and survey techniques; the firm said its mapping supports runway safety, master planning, and funding applications and noted use of LiDAR, drones, and ground-based GPS in its broader airport work.

County leaders point to an economic rationale grounded in state data: a 2025 CDOT Division of Aeronautics economic impact study shows Perry Stokes Airport generated $2.5 million in total business revenues in 2023, supporting 14 jobs and $770,000 in payroll. Commissioners envision the modernization laying groundwork for industrial manufacturing, technology-sector job growth, advanced manufacturing, AI-linked supply chains, and other aviation-aligned industry, but they stress that at least one employer must be willing to commit before major development proceeds.

Perry Stokes is a GA-Community airport with two 5,500-foot by 100-foot runways — an asphalt Runway 3/21 with a non-precision instrument approach and a turf runway — and a history dating to WPA construction in the 1930s and military use during World War II. The airport supported scheduled Douglas DC-3 service from 1949 to 1957 and today serves aerial surveying, military training exercises, and business and recreational flights, in addition to supporting emergency services and tourism.

Next steps set by county officials are clear: begin preparatory engineering, complete utility upgrades, finalize the FAA-required ALP, secure a private employer partner, and submit EDA applications timed to funding cycles that could extend into 2027. County leaders say those sequential moves are necessary if Perry Stokes is to move from a regional airfield into an economic engine.