SOUTH BEND — St. Joseph County Airport Authority Board President Tom Botkin announced today that South Bend Airport (SBN) is becoming South Bend International. The Airport team, in conjunction with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), is working to build two distinct facilities; a General Aviation Facility and a Federal Inspection Station. Both of these facilities are under design with construction expected to begin within a few months. The project will be paid for with a combination of federal, state and airport funds.

A review of travel patterns show that within a few short years, there could be in excess of 30,000 to 40,000 international travelers beginning and ending their trip from South Bend International. Initial conversations with airlines have resulted in expressed interest in serving South Bend to Mexico and the Bahamas. The economic impact of this additional new traffic could be in excess of $100 million dollars annually to the regional community.