New Airport to Boost Economy in Rural South Florida

One of the poorest areas in Florida, Hendry County, is preparing for the new Airglades International Airport, a $300 million cargo hub that could transform its economy. The project, which is pending approval, is strategically located just five miles outside of Clewiston and 90 miles west of Miami.

The plan involves converting a general aviation airport into a logistics center, complete with runways and adjacent space, as highlighted by Business View magazine in an interview with Lillie B. Rentz, the manager of Airglades International Airport.

“Hendry County has always been known primarily for its agribusiness,” Rentz stated. “Our project will introduce new industries to the area: manufacturing, distribution, trade, and logistics. If you fly over Hendry County, all you see are farms, a lot of agricultural land, and, in my opinion, an area where people can come in and grow their businesses.”

“Hendry has one of the highest unemployment rates in Florida, so working on this project brings many promising opportunities to the area; including not only increasing the local tax base but also providing abundant job opportunities as a result of the project,” the entrepreneur assured.

The plan to convert the small county-owned airport into a privately-owned property still needs approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which will partly depend on securing contracts with suppliers in Latin America to demonstrate its potential as a perishable goods hub.

According to Business View, Airglades International Airport could become a “modern, fully equipped alternative focused solely on the perishable market,” considering that the Miami International Airport, the busiest U.S. airport for cargo and perishable imports, is at capacity.

Opportunities and Challenges

Local leaders see the project as a generational opportunity that could bring over 1,400 new high-skilled jobs to their predominantly agricultural community on the edge of the Everglades, noted a recent report by the Associated Press (AP).

“We have one of the most beautiful areas,” said Michael Swindle, the county's school superintendent, and yet, “by all the metrics by which a county would be judged, we are number 1 or number 2 in negative categories.”

However, to reap significant dividends, the region's educators will have to overcome some harsh realities, including that one-third of working-age adults do not have a high school diploma, while nearly half speak a language other than English, one of the highest percentages in Florida.

Community groups and schools are working to address the teacher shortage and make investments in adult education.

Meanwhile, two adult education centers have expanded with the support of the Future Makers Coalition, a community organization leading educational retraining efforts across Southwest Florida. They are also funding a counselor to develop new skills in students.

Spanish-speaking students have filled the adult education center in LaBelle, the county seat with 5,000 residents.

At the other adult education center in Clewiston, dozens of students with thick gloves and respiratory masks are working to obtain the industrial certifications needed to enter the workforce.

Samantha Garza, 21, initially studied child care at a community college in Fort Myers but changed careers after watching YouTube videos about welding. “I felt this would be a career for me,” she told AP.

Even before the airport arrives, many local employers are eager to hire students. In fact, U.S. Sugar, the agricultural giant based in Clewiston, has such urgent needs that it has launched an internal project aimed at improving the quality of life in the area.