TOLEDO, Ohio — The next major step has been taken to rename the Toledo Express Airport to honor a Toledo icon.
As we reported last week, Toledo City Council unanimously approved the ordinance to rename Toledo Express Airport after Toledo native and NASA flight director Gene Kranz.
Now, that initiative has taken another step forward.
Thursday morning, the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority board, as operators of the airport, passed a resolution supporting the city's decision.
So now, all local authorization is complete to rename the Toledo Express Airport to The Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport.
The port authority will now submit a recommendation to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) using these passed ordinances.
The FAA approval should take a couple of months.
Thomas Winston, president and CEO of the Port Authority said it was an easy decision to make to honor the legendary flight director of NASA's Apollo 11 and 13 missions.
"He's a great icon that we're all happy to be a part of. We think that this is going to be something to continue the momentum that we have at the Toledo Express Airport. And we're excited to be a part of it," said Winston.Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said that once all the administrative work is complete, the city hopes to invite Mr Kranz and his family to town sometime next spring for a formal name change celebration.
