MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — We are closer than we’ve ever been to having a full-time commercial service at a downtown airport in Mobile. Ultimately, all commercial flights in and out of downtown Mobile will be happening by 2025.

Read the full interview below or watch it in the video above.

Bill: All right. Well, we are closer than we’ve ever been to having a full-time commercial service at a downtown airport in Mobile.

Jessica: Ultimately, all commercial flights in and out of downtown Mobile will be happening by 2025. The president of the Mobile Airport Authority, Chris Curry, is here on the Red Couch this morning to give us the latest on the airport’s developments. It’s a big deal for downtown and really for the whole Gulf Coast area.

Chris Curry, Mobile Airport Authority: Absolutely. I mean, we view it through a regional lens and we feel like an airport downtown is best located to serve the residents of Mobile and Baldwin County.

Bill: I remember when the study came out because it’s been studied a lot and but the big study came out and just full support of having a downtown airport.

Chris Curry: Absolutely. I mean, it’s bringing the airport closer to the major population growth of the region. And it’s a transformational project and much different than any others, because in most cities you find airports are located further from the city. Yes. In this case, we’re bringing it much closer, but it’s closer to the majority of the population. Right.

Jessica: Right there in the center. So where are we in construction right now?

Chris Curry: So we have selected the design and construction team. The design team is on the contract. The construction management team will be under contract within the next month. And so the design team is full speed ahead, working towards 30% design, which really gives us the overall concept of the terminal facility. Then they’ll start working more on the interior part.

Chris Curry: And so we figure that once the design team construction team is on board, we’re about a year and a half to two years of construction.

Bill: So a lot of improvements are going on out there. You mentioned the terminal and at some point people will be able to go to a brand new, big spanking new terminal at Brookley Airport.

Chris Curry: Absolutely. And it’s not only the terminal, it’s also the parking garage, which will provide parking for about 1250 spaces within the parking deck. You know, as much as it rains here, we thought it was just important to build a parking well in terms of size.

Jessica: Real quick, what happens to the regional airport in West Mobile?

Chris Curry: So the regional airport will stay as is it just will not have a commercial function. We have the Coast Guard Aviation Unit out there. We have Airbus space and defense. And so we think it’ll be a great facility to serve, not only those purposes, but also be a great corporate and general aviation facility.

Bill: There we go. Chris Curry from the Airport Authority, thanks very much for being here and getting up early with us. We appreciate it.

Chris Curry: Thank you so much for the invite.