August 21, 2006, the Bradley County Commission voted 10–4 to rezone the property. On April 11, 2007, then-governor Phil Bredesen announced that the state would provide a $4.35 million aeronautics grant for property acquisition and preliminary engineering for an environmental impact statement of the property. Construction Construction of the new airport was split into three phases. The contract for phase one of construction, which including wetland mitigation and preliminary work, was signed on November 20, 2009. The project officially began on April 19, 2010. Phase 2 was awarded on September 20, 2010. This phase involved leveling and excavating 2.2 million cubic yards of dirt onto the site and slightly rerouting and constructing a culvert over a small stream which ran through the site. Construction of the new airport also required the relocation of Tasso Road, which ran through the property. This was accomplished by rerouting the road around the airport, creating a straight stretch nearly long parallel to the runway, which some have come to jokingly nickname the airport's second runway. The name Cleveland Regional Jetport was selected by the airport authority on December 16, 2011. The contract for the final phase of construction, the construction of the runway, was awarded on April 20, 2012. The jetport officially opened on January 25, 2013, with a runway. Hardwick Field closed on December 31, 2013. The entire project cost $42.32 million, with $36.376 coming from the state and federal government, $5.943 from the city, and additional funds coming from private donors, including businessman Allan Jones. Later history The jetport was named Airport of the Year by the Tennessee Aeronautics Commission (TEC) in March 2014. In 2017 the runway was extended to 6,200 ft. References Airports in Tennessee Buildings and structures in Bradley County, Tennessee Transportation in Bradley County, Tennessee Cleveland, Tennessee Airports established in 2013 2013 establishments in Tennessee