Hawkins Flight Academy representatives told the Municipal Airport Authority they want to buy and place a temporary building at the airport to house an AeroFlight Education Center and a Motlow State College flight simulator lab, and asked the authority for a verbal go‑ahead to secure a building. The authority voted to recommend the concept and location to the city council for review and to allow Hawkins to pursue a purchase that would let staff draft a site‑specific ground lease.

The request centers on a portable structure to provide classroom space, recurrent training and a visible SIM lab for workforce development. "What we are creating with Motlow is an industry association called ARO, and it has aviation education resources and outreach," Hawkins representative Matt Wilkins told the authority. He said the center would complement university‑style programs by offering career‑focused flight simulation and training.

The academy asked for a ground lease sized roughly in a range up to about 5,500 square feet (presentation materials and discussion referenced several figures) and said it planned a short initial term with extension options because the site could be repurposed by the airport plan in later years. Hawkins asked the authority for a "verbal approval" to proceed with identifying and putting a deposit on a building so the board could see a specific lease and renderings at the next meeting. "If we can get that purchase before the next board meeting, then our lease could be very specific to the size building that we're talking about doing," a Hawkins representative said.

Board members asked planning, design and aesthetic questions. An authority member said, "For me, I have a little bit of, hesitancy in wanting to, you know, even give a head nod on something that, you know, we have somewhat of a concept, but just given a blanket approval on them going to purchase something that we really, can identify, you know, what the visual is gonna be, on, city property." Board members and staff discussed design review, landscaping, parking surface options (gravel, asphalt millings) and ADA access; city planning staff indicated the building would still be subject to city design requirements even if temporary.

Airport staff and Hawkins representatives described site selection, nearby utilities and timing concerns: Hawkins needs to move offices when upstairs space becomes unavailable this summer and sought flexibility to move a portable building later if needed. Staff said the chosen location benefits from existing utilities and that planning has given preliminary, verbal feedback that the concept is feasible under current zoning and the airport's land‑use plan.

After discussion, an authority member moved that the board recommend city council approve a future ground lease to Hawkins Flight Academy for an AeroFlight Education Center (motion described a temporary building in the 3,500–5,500 square‑foot range and noted compliance with city design guidelines). The motion was seconded and passed on a voice vote with no recorded opposition.

The authority's recommendation will go to city council for formal review; Hawkins and staff said they would return with a specific building, renderings and a proposed lease that incorporate city planning requirements and the authority's input.

Details such as a final ground‑lease term, exact square footage, parking surfacing and facade/landscaping treatments will be addressed in the lease and the council review process. Hawkins said Motlow’s SIM lab would be a shared resource available to other flight‑training providers, not exclusive to Hawkins.