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– The Jamestown Regional Airport unveiled its new terminal to the public Friday morning with an official ribbon cutting ceremony.

Jim Boyd, Board Chairman of the Jamestown Regional Airport Authority, said the plan for a new terminal started back in 2007, and took a few years of hard work finding financing before the groundbreaking last fall. He said the new terminals comes just in time for increased boardings.

North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple was also on hand Friday and said Jamestown’s boardings are up 28 percent over last year as people realize the convenience of flying locally. He said that growth is higher than any other North Dakota airport not in the oil patch.

Mark Holzer with the Federal Aviation Administration said a new terminal always brings increased boardings, projecting further growth for Jamestown’s airport.

Representatives from all three of North Dakota’s congressional representatives were on hand, and commented on how the first thing visitors to Jamestown notice is the airport terminal, and the new terminal is obviously a great first impression.

The first actual use of the terminal was Monday night, said airport manager Matthew Leitner, when Jamestown received a flight from Minneapolis. Leitner said they expect to board about 5,300 passenger in 2011, the highest total since 1978 and more than double the total from 2007.