The Rowan County Airport Board on Friday voted in favor of building the facility’s second 15,000-foot hangar, which could cost up to $2 million.

The vote comes one month after charter company Strategic Moves, currently based in Statesville, announced its intent to move its headquarters to the airport. Strategic Moves has signed a lease for the largest hangar at the Rowan County Airport. The airport board’s vote on Friday, which was unanimous, was for a hanger of identical size and a small office building adjacent to the hangar.

The exact price of the new hangar hasn’t yet been determined, or approved by Rowan County Commissioners, but could cost about $2 million. The first 15,000-foot hangar came at a price of $1.9 million, according to Commissioner Craig Pierce. The new hangar’s price will depend on whether commissioners can utilize a $500,000 fire suppression system that’s already been installed in Strategic Moves’ hangar. Inflation of construction costs will also be a factor, Pierce said.

For now, the hangar will be used to house helicopters owned by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety and other aircraft. The county is in negotiations with another company for lease space at the airport.

“There’s the saying that if you build it they’ll come,” Pierce said. “In our case, fortunately, if we build it they’re already coming.”

Board members and attendees mentioned the possibility of leasing the building to a larger company in the future, if needed.

Rowan Works Economic Development Director Robert Van Geons praised airport officials for quickly growing the roster of companies at the facility.

“Ya’ll have done more, faster, maybe not as fast as you’d like, but there’s progress being made here,” Van Geons said. “It seems like a long time because you’re here, but to people on the outside you’re making great progress.”

Friday’s vote rescinded a prior motion by the airport board to build four medium-sized hangars. Pierce said the larger hangar would likely cost the same amount.

“We just thought it would be better long term solution as to get a hangar like we currently have to emphasize the fact that we’re jet friendly around here,” Pierce said.

In other business from Friday’s meeting:

• The airport board tabled a request from the local brach of the Experimental Aircraft Association to construct a building on airport property.

Chapter 1083 of the Experimental Aircraft Association on Friday proposed to construct a building for meetings at a cost of $75,000. With the request, the association asked for a ground lease. The proposal would place the association as owners of the building.

Pierce cited county policy as a reason why it might be difficult to get commissioners to approve the proposal. Typically, the county doesn’t allow private companies to own hangars and buildings at the airport. Instead, the county is usually responsible for construction and leases facilities to companies.

Discussion about the proposal lasted just over 30 minutes. During discussion, members of the local chapter expressed some hesitation about the county’s policy.

Pierce asked the local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association to submit a proposal to the county that included a blueprint and lease rates.

Even after some members expressed hesitation, Alred Wilson, an association member, and Lance Berrier, the association’s vice president, said they still intend to submit a proposal.

• The board adopted a policy for skydiving operations at the airport.

The policy allows departures for skydiving operations every 15 minutes and applies to Piedmont Skydiving, which is already operating at the Rowan County Airport, and Skydive Central N.C. LLC, which is proposing to move to the Rowan County Airport.

• Carl Ellington, an engineer for the airport, said work being conducted by his firm related to a runway extension would be wrapped up this summer and submitted to the airport board in the fall of this year.

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.