"Why Puerto Rico? Well, because we are Puerto Ricans".
With an investment of $54 million, construction began Wednesday on the new private aviation terminal adjacent to Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU), in Carolina, a project by BLUESKY, a group of Puerto Rican investors committed to local development and the future.
"Betting on Puerto Rico is betting on our future," said José Maldonado Ortiz, engineer and partner at BLUESKY, at the groundbreaking ceremony.
The investment comes entirely from Puerto Rican private capital. The amount was financed by FirstBank to BLUESKY's investor partners and does not include government contributions.
"This project is a testament to what we achieve when Puerto Ricans have the experience, commitment and capital to invest in our country. With pride, gratitude, (we are) convinced that betting on Puerto Rico is betting on our future," said Maldonado Ortiz, also a retired colonel.
BLUESKY's partners estimate that the project will create 30 jobs during construction of the campus, which is expected to be completed in the summer of 2028. Once operational, it would generate between 60 and 80 direct, permanent jobs, as well as approximately 110 indirect jobs.
"The reality is that there has been an increase in demand for general aviation, particularly executive aviation, in recent years, particularly in this region. Positioning the San Juan airport with state-of-the-art facilities and the capacity it has attracts that market to Puerto Rico, instead of it going to other markets in the Caribbean, and maximizes the market opportunity that exists today given the demand for that service," Jorge Hernández, president of Aerostar Airport Holdings, told Platea.
Geographic advantage
In an interview with PlateaPR, Maldonado Ortiz pointed out that Puerto Rico's geographic position also motivated the development of the project, as it could strengthen connections with international markets, from Europe to Africa and South America.
"We can serve all the traffic from Africa, the Caribbean, South America, Central America, and once the planes come here, they refuel and head to the United States," he explained to this outlet, also noting that, being adjacent to one of Puerto Rico's main highways, the Expreso Ramón Baldorioty de Castro, it makes it easier for those who land to spend money and travel around the archipelago.
"There is no doubt that they chose the best city of all to give wings to their project," said Mayor José Carlos Aponte Dalmau.
Who is it for?
The new campus, designed by Roberto Aybar of AIR Architects, will not necessarily serve Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, but rather "the private aviation community, corporate, government, military and some commercial aircraft not affiliated with any airline" in a space of approximately 275,000 square feet, which will include more than 60,000 square feet of hangars distributed across three units.
It will also include passenger and crew services, fuel supply, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities for processing international flights.
Even so, Hernández pointed out that it will contribute to the annual economic impact of Aeropuerto Internacional Luis Muñoz Marín, which amounts to $8,000 million a year.
Hernández specified to Platea that BLUESKY San Juan will lease the lot for a term of 25 years. He could not specify how much that lease amounts to.
"The aviation market in general is an important market, it's a very large market. The fact that it can be tapped and developed beyond what exists in Puerto Rico, that is the business opportunity. Investment has to come in to attract that economic development, that impact on the Island, which is what we are looking for," he added.
This content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
