A new $37.5M, three-bay hangar at Will Rogers World Airport is expected to create 225 jobs in the maintenance, repair and overhaul industry.

AAR CORP., an aircraft maintenance services company, broke ground Friday morning on a three-bay, 80,000-sq-ft MRO facility to expand services for Alaska Airlines. The new hangar will sit adjacent to AAR’s existing seven-bay facility at Will Rogers World Airport and will support Boeing 737s.

Airport officials, state legislators and representatives from AAR and Alaska Airlines were present at Will Rogers on Friday for an official groundbreaking ceremony.

Airports Director Jeff Mulder said the $37.5 million expansion has been in the works for years and will result in more than 200 aviation jobs in the Oklahoma City market. The project funding comes from a $20 million grant from the State of Oklahoma, as well as rent concessions over time from Will Rogers World Airport.

Lt Gov. Matt Pinnell said the new hangar is a part of the effort to further the state’s second-leading industry, aerospace and aeronautics.

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