What happened: The Midland Development Corporation (MDC) board approved a regional aerospace corridor agreement with El Paso County on Monday, May 4, formalizing Midland’s role in a West Texas Aerospace Corridor Master Plan. The agreement authorizes up to $655,000 in planning work through July 2027, fully funded through a grant from the Texas Space Commission, with no funding contributed from the MDC.

The big picture: Under the agreement, MDC will manage the project by coordinating vendors, overseeing planning work, and engaging regional stakeholders. The plan will assess aerospace infrastructure, supply chains, and workforce readiness across Midland, El Paso, and areas in between, and produce a strategic roadmap for future investment.

MDC Executive Director Sara Harris said the original grant application included the MDC, which will serve as the primary entity responsible for executing the plan. While the board approved the overall agreement, individual contracts with consultants or vendors will still require separate board approval before the project spends any grant funds.

The aerospace corridor is part of a statewide push by the Texas Space Commission to fund regional aerospace planning initiatives, with multiple entities receiving grants to develop coordinated strategies across Texas.