In 1975, in anticipation of a second
international airport, the city of
Atlanta purchased of land in Paulding for $925 per acre. In early 2007, the county purchased of the property for the new
general aviation airport., and $7 million in state funding. It is anticipated that economic development activity at the airport could result in more than $350 million in annual economic activity and thousands of jobs for Paulding County over the next decade.
2012 hangar collapse On February 22, 2012, one worker was killed and another was injured by the collapse of the second hangar during construction work. Construction of this hangar had been previously delayed in December 2011, when it was discovered that the hangar's concrete slab was not level.
2012 tornado On the night of March 2, 2012, during the
tornado outbreak of March 2–3, 2012, the airport was struck by an
EF3
tornado that tore a path across the county. Several million dollars in damage was done, including $1.5 million to the facility, and $5 million to the aircraft parked and stored there, most of which were destroyed (between 18 and 23 aircraft). The hangar was so severely damaged, it had to be torn down and rebuilt. The airport was closed until cleanup and essential repairs were completed. Repairs to the terminal building were completed in October 2012. The airport became operational with aircraft activity near levels documented prior to the March 2012 tornado, though the airport's only charter service ceased operations. .
Attempted privatization On October 4, 2013, Paulding County announced a Public Private Partnership with Propeller Investments, llc (doing business as Silver Comet Terminal Partners, llc) to further develop the airport, with an intent to provide commercial passenger services. This was opposed by local residents, to whom the head of the Paulding County Airport Authority had previously promised that the airport would remain a general aviation airport. Consequently, residents filed several lawsuits addressing violations of Georgia's
freedom of information laws, and an
ultra vires suit against the Paulding County Industrial Building Authority for overextending its authority. Some of these lawsuits were filed by attorneys associated with
Delta Air Lines. In October 2013, residents filed a legal challenge against bond funding for a taxiway expansion, and a second legal challenge in November, questioning the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) environmental approvals of the planned expansions. In December, the court ruled in favor of the airport and county in the bond funding case; residents pledged to appeal. A settlement was announced for the FAA case, calling for an environmental assessment, postponing the commercialization of the airport. In January 2014, residents filed a third legal challenge regarding airport leases and a loan funding the taxiway expansion. By 2015, anti-privatization politicians had been elected to the Paulding County Commission, straining the private industry relations, and by 2018, the Airport Authority terminated the partnership. Plans for a In 2021, a judge upheld the county's cancellation of the agreements and the companies appealed. == Facilities ==