Lee’s Summit airport name change draws concern from Kansas City leaders

LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. — There are some concerns about a potential name change to Lee’s Summit Municipal Airport. In the future, leaders want to call it the Greater Kansas City Regional Airport.

Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Quinton Lucas and representatives in that office are calling the name change into question.

Saturday night, Lucas posted on X that his city has exclusively been attached to the Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport and the Kansas City International Airport since the beginning of aviation in our region.

“We will work with our friends in Lee’s Summit, the FAA, and our courts to ensure we avoid future confusion about Kansas City and to prevent some of the conflicts and confusion seen in other communities,” part of Lucas’ post said.

Lee’s Summit Airport Manager Joel Arrington talked to FOX4 Monday. He told us he saw Lucas’ post Monday morning.

“No, I don’t, you know,” Arrington said Monday when asked If he had a response to the mayor’s post. “At this point, I don’t, no. He’s entitled to his comments.”

Arrington says the airport he manages doesn’t have commercial flights.

“Commercial flights are all going to go into Kansas City International,” he said. “Our airport primarily services General Aviation Aircraft, and so there is no commercial airport or commercial service into this airport.”

Lucas’ General Counsel Gavriel Schreiber elaborated more Monday afternoon. He says Kansas City will work with Lee’s Summit to make sure it’s not confusing for people in the metro who are looking for the airport.

“I plug something into Google Maps and go where it takes me,” Schreiber said. “I just think that like the mayor said, we need to make sure that we’re thinking through all the possibilities. We’ve got a great brand in Kansas City and with the Kansas City Airport.”

The change still needs the final approval of the Lee’s Summit City Council on October 8 at 6 p.m., but it also needs approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA approval could take more than six months.

Arrington says the airport he manages has grown over the last 10 years. Now, it can house larger airplanes, helping business owners and executives who are traveling into town and driving all over the metro as opposed to just the city proper. That’s part of the reason they’ve called for the name change.

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