Mark Sprague, Director, St Pete – Clearwater International Airport
August 2026 —In an interview with Invest:, Mark Sprague, interim director of the St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport, discussed the airport’s direction, staying connected with the local community, and the priorities for the near term. “Our growth prior has been like a quilt of intertwined squares, which sometimes doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. We need to dial it back, and see what really makes sense, so we can build upon the same vision,” Sprague said.
How has your transition into your current role affected the airport’s direction?
As interim director, my focus has been on prioritizing our capital improvement programs to be both sustainable and affordable. We face the challenge of an aging airport infrastructure coupled with continually increasing passenger numbers. The expert executive team from each department collaborated to address these concerns, allowing us to prioritize which projects to advance and which to hold back. A critical step in this transition was pausing all work for a complete reassessment of our projects.
We have a significant number of projects scheduled for simultaneous development. For instance, the growth in passenger traffic has led to a persistent shortage of parking. Since we have no available surface area for expansion, we are forced to build vertically. This vertical development involves numerous considerations, including securing funding, determining the optimal location and size, and planning for long-term obsolescence.
My current role centers on prioritizing these projects based on their overall impact and weight. As a leisure travel hub primarily serving families, St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport must prioritize being customer-friendly and catering to these demographics. Unlike business-focused airports, modernizing and adopting new technology must be done with simplicity and user-friendliness in mind. Complexity would undermine our established reputation.
How do you approach partnerships with carriers to maintain service levels?
Bringing in new airlines is restricted because we lack the necessary infrastructure, such as office space and ground servicing facilities. Ground servicing encompasses handling baggage, servicing the aircraft and catering. Currently, we only have space to accommodate one additional carrier. Expansion and remodeling are essential because they would allow us to establish the necessary infrastructure for new carriers. It’s not simply a matter of an airplane landing and taxiing to the terminal. We must also provide operational areas, offices, and the capacity to service the aircraft.
What opportunities are provided by Tampa’s tourism momentum and local partners?
We are highly involved with Visit St. Pete-Clearwater and the chambers. We have one of the best beaches around, and we’re the closest airport to those beaches. People are also moving into this area. So, we are catering to not only the tourists coming in, but also the people living here who don’t have a whole lot of time for multiple flights. One of the great things about Clearwater is the nonstop flights to over 60 destinations. We never have to change airplanes, and we will keep it that way for as long as we can.
How does the airport stay connected to residents and local organizations?
Showing that we are part of the community is a must, and we connect through chambers and at Visit St. Pete-Clearwater sponsored Elite events. We sponsor a few tourism-driven organizations/event. It’s a way of saying we’re here for the community, and thank you for flying with the airport. Additionally, the education tours at the airport welcome groups from everywhere, like Bay Area Concierge Association, Tampa Bay Beaches Leadership Institute, and school tours.
The other big community engagement is the Veterans’ Honor Flights. We just had our 53rd flight, and that has been very popular with the community. The Honor Flights program has networks all over the United States, and we are part of the West Central Florida network. The program flies veterans to Washington D.C. to visit the war memorials, honors them, and brings them home to a welcome home celebration. Our airport is filled with hundreds of people from every kind of group you can imagine attending the event. It’s a simple, but beautiful way to say thank you for their service.
What are the airport’s key priorities for the next few years?
The first is consistently keeping the staff informed, and making sure they have the ability to make decisions. We need to invest in our employees, not only in their jobs, but also to make sure their voices are heard and their vision seen as part of our growth infrastructure. It’s smart growth.
Our growth prior has been like a quilt of intertwined squares, which sometimes doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. We need to dial it back, and see what really makes sense, so we can build upon the same vision. We also want to stay sustainable, not only in growth, but also in profit. Of course, we hope to bring on a couple new air carriers as we increase our infrastructure and staffing.
