Opa-locka Airport, the air traffic reliever to Miami International Airport and hosted U.S. presidents arriving in town and celebrity travelers, now has a new name.
Last month, Miami-Dade County commissioners voted to rename the historical property Miami-Opa locka Executive Airport. The move, according to Commissioner Barbara Jordan, was to rebrand the airport to increase visibility and enhance aviation traffic. It was also an effort to capitalize off of the allure that Miami offers, while keeping the historical significance of the city in which it is housed.
“Everyone around the country knows where Miami is located,” said Jordan, who spearheaded the legislation. “By adding the name Miami, it increases the value of this airport and puts it on the map for aviation professionals and non-aviation enthusiasts.”
Miami-Opa locka Executive Airport is located just seven miles north of Miami International Airport and only three miles from Sun Life Stadium. It is the largest of Miami-Dade County’s five General Aviation Airports. The facility handles private, pleasure and business flights. The airport was founded by aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss in 1927, and was once designated as the world’s busiest general aviation airport in 1962.