- April 19, 2024
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Employing 115, the FAA training facility will stay through Dec. 21.
The Federal Aviation Administration’s training center will remain in Palm Coast for now, officials announced Friday. But the long-term future of the facility is still unclear.
The lease on the Center for Management and Executive Leadership has been extended to Dec. 21 from its original expiration date of Aug. 21. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University owns the facility.
Before U.S. Rep. John Mica intervened, the FAA said it wanted to move the facility to another city that was within 25 miles of a major international airport. As a result, Embry-Riddle was not given the chance to bid for a renewal on the lease. Instead, it appeared the facility was going to be relocated to Kansas City.
Beau Falgout, senior economic development planner for Palm Coast, said the lease extension is positive news for the city.
“As soon as we ascertain the FAA’s needs for the Palm Coast training facility, we hope to assist Embry-Riddle in securing a long-term lease with the FAA so we can keep this facility in our community.”
However, the FAA said in a Friday statement that “since the initial procurement was issued, several key factors now require the FAA to cancel the current procurement for training facility and conference space.”
“The FAA will now evaluate future training requirements and current budget considerations to develop a more comprehensive and flexible training program for 2013 and beyond,” the statement continued.
Employees at the facility were called into a meeting Friday morning. According to an employee not authorized to comment on the record, the FAA will be putting out another solicitation and could ultimately withdraw funding for Palm Coast’s facility. In that scenario, training will be spread throughout the agency, according to the employee.
The facility employs about 115 people.
Still, Mica said: “Given the ideal location of the facility and professionalism of the employees at Palm Coast, I am confident Palm Coast will have the edge in any future bids.”
