MISSION
The New College–SRQ Airport Land History Project documents the ongoing controversy over the proposed sale of approximately 31 acres of SRQ Airport land to New College of Florida, including the FAA’s April 2024 decision declining to release the property from federal obligations.
But the story is far from over.
New developments continue to unfold, making it increasingly important to document the decisions and actions that could determine the future of this land.
THE LAND:
For over 65 years, New College has occupied land owned by Sarasota Bradenton International Airport under a long-term lease. In 2023, New College requested the Airport Authority sell them the land. They negotiated a sales agreement and it was approved by both governing boards.
Because SRQ is a federally obligated airport, the sale required FAA approval. In April 2024, the FAA declined to release the property from its federal obligations, preventing the proposed sale from proceeding.
WHY IT MATTERS:
Airport land is a finite public resource. Once sold, it may never be recovered, and decisions made today can determine whether an airport has the land it needs in the future. SRQ airport passenger traffic tripled between 2018 and 2025. New College's announced expansion plans in 2023. That announcement brought the airport's needs for land into conflict with the State's expansion plans for the college.
The controversy raises a larger question:
How should public officials protect assets entrusted to them when today's priorities compete with tomorrow's needs?
THE STORY:
This site documents how the conflict developed, why the FAA rejected the proposed sale, and what happened afterward as the Airport Authority, New College, the FAA, and State officials continued to address the land issue.
Drawing on FAA correspondence, Airport Authority records, leases, planning documents, maps, appraisals, public records, and contemporaneous reporting, it preserves the documentary record while examining the larger questions of airport stewardship and public decision-making that the controversy raised. It also provides a possible long-term solution to the problem.
