Sussex County's airport has a new name: the Delaware Coastal Airport.
County administrator Todd Lawson says the airport suffers from an identity crisis, with locals referring to it by various names. He hopes to end confusion and shore up the facility’s brand outside Delaware with its new name and logo, featuring a plane soaring over sun and waves.
"And we really need to better position us for the future growth that we see, so that we can attract more operations and perhaps more clientele from outside of this area, this region," Lawson says.
Right now, Lawson says 80 percent of the flights that pass through the airport serve coastal attractions. He hopes the new brand will add to that business.
That would help pay for runway paving and electrical upgrades this year, as well as a longer-term plan to extend the runway 500 feet, out to 6,000 feet total.
But Lawson notes they're not focusing on bringing in commercial passenger service anytime soon.