By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis – MidAmerica Airport in the Metro East has found its first tenant for a new air cargo facility.
St. Clair County built the $7 million warehouse last year as part of an effort to expand beyond the airport's fledgling passenger business.
Airport Director Tim Cantwell says a consortium called Trade Zone Partners will lease half of the 50,000 square foot space.
"Over five years, it's $250,000 rent plus we average out about 27 percent of the net profits as a partnership," Cantwell said.
The tenant company is a partnership between two suburban St. Louis companies: Sunset Transportation and homebuilder McEagle Properties.
MidAmerica has had a tough time attracting passenger carriers since it opened eight years ago.
However Allegiant Air has been operating regular flights there since early 2005.