BALL GROUND — What’s being dubbed as one of Cherokee County’s economic development tools was christened Friday morning.

The Cherokee County Airport Authority conducted a ribbon-cutting for the expansion of the Cherokee County Regional Airport runway.

County elected officials and state and national dignitaries were on hand to celebrate the expansion, including Rep. Tom Price (R-Roswell), state representatives Sean Jerguson (R-Holly Springs) and Calvin Hill (R-Hickory Flat), Cherokee County Commission members and elected officials from some of Cherokee’s cities.

Representatives from the offices of U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Marietta), who will become Cherokee’s new Congressman as a result of redistricting, and Republican Sens. Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss were also in attendance.

The runway is now 5,002 feet long, expanded from the previous 3,414 feet. The expansion now allows the airport to accommodate larger aircraft and corporate jets.

Cherokee County Airport Authority Chairman Don Stevens said the expansion is a “very important milestone for Cherokee County and our airport.”

Stevens said the county owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to leaders who had foresight to provide the matching funds to complete the project, which he said is “a new and innovative paradigm for airport planning.”

“We’ve been pretty busy building our airport, (which is) one that Cherokee County and the citizens can be proud (of),” he added.

Stevens added the authority still has some loose ends to tie up with the project, such as the purchase of 17 acres adjacent to the terminal to house an additional seven hangars.

Stevens also noted the authority’s expansion project was awarded the General Aviation Project of the Year by the Georgia Airports Association, an organization that helps support and expand airports to meet the economic development demands of the state.

The $34 million airport expansion, which includes $15 million in Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds committed by the county government, includes extending the runway and parallel taxiway to slightly more than 5,000 feet.

It also increases hangar space to accommodate up to 300 aircraft, up from about 100 that are currently based there. Marinko said he hopes to have the additional 200 aircraft based at the airport within the next couple years.

The expansion also included a new terminal, which opened for business in April 2010. The $1.4 million building includes a lobby, conference room and a pilot’s lounge.

S&S Aviation, the airport’s fixed base operator, is operating the building for the airport authority and has a representative on site.

Rep. Price, whose district next year will include north Fulton County and parts of Cobb County, said the expansion is a remarkable success story.

He also said the expansion is a prime example of collaboration between local, state and federal governments, which he said isn’t emulated in many other places.

“Cherokee County is a remarkably special place,” he said, saying he’s had the honor and the privilege to represent either a portion of or the entire county in Congress. “I know the work you will do going forward will match the work that you have done in the past.”

County Commission Chairman Buzz Ahrens noted the expansion is “one of our unique selling points” for the county and he was delighted to be part of the project.

He noted the expansion happened with a vision, an innovative plan and with perseverance, leadership, teamwork, collaboration and execution.

“What you see here is a world class example of getting things done,” he said, adding the expansion is a “huge part our economic development efforts.”