OCALA, FL (352today.com) – On Tuesday, September 1, 2026, the Ocala City Council accepted a $220,000 federal grant to rehab the air traffic control tower at Ocala International Airport, a project city officials say is overdue but shouldn’t disrupt flights.
Council approved Resolution 2026-53, taking a Federal Aviation Administration Contract Tower Competitive Grant for work at Ocala International-Jim Taylor Field. The money comes from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The grant does not require a local match.
The full job is estimated at $245,994. According to the public information officer for the City of Ocala, Greg Davis, the airport will cover the remaining $25,994. Davis said the airport has an enterprise fund and pays its own way, so the extra cost comes from airport revenue, not the city’s General Fund. Staff asked for more grant money. The FAA awarded $220,000…