Legislative audit found Ogden's airport lost money every year from 2006 to 2022

The Ogden-Hinckley Airport had an operating loss every year from 2006 to 2022, ranging from about $160,000 to $1.7 million, according to an April 2024 report by the Office of the Legislative Auditor General. ^[1] The city covered the losses "with money from its General Fund or Business Depot Ogden Fund (a total of $15 million)," the auditors wrote. ^[1]

The report found the city released an airport master plan in 1994 and did not release another until 2020. ^[1] It said strained relations with Weber County had hindered a tax increment financing agreement that could bring $120 million to the airport. ^[1] Of $10 million the state provided after a 2020 request, the airport had used $7.6 million. ^[1] The report made six recommendations. ^[1]

Utah News Dispatch reported that more than half of the airport's 244 hangars had no inspection on record. ^[2]

Litigation

The legislative audit did not address issues under litigation between the city and airport hangar owners. ^[1] In that federal case, Judge David Barlow on Jan. 11, 2022, granted in part and denied in part the city's motion to dismiss. ^[3]

Grant reporting

The city's fiscal 2025 single audit reports that a required federal financial report for the Airport Improvement Program was submitted "approximately one year and 3 months late (December 8, 2025)." ^[4] The auditors said staff responsible for the report were not aware of the requirement, and identified no questioned costs. ^[4]

The fiscal 2020 audit listed a prior-year finding from fiscal 2019 that Airport Improvement Program reports had not been filed, which it reported as resolved. ^[5]

Recent results

The city's fiscal 2025 report shows the municipal airport lost $282,103 before transfers in fiscal 2025, compared with $1,980,929 in fiscal 2024. ^[6] In March 2025, the city announced that its redevelopment agency board had approved up to $22 million in tax increment financing for Williams International's expansion at the airport, plus $5.5 million for a waterline. ^[7]