MELBOURNE, Fla. — Melbourne Orlando International Airport is flying high, seeing record growth over the past decade.

What You Need To Know

Widening of the taxiway, new asphalt, and a new lighting system are part of the airport’s plan

The airport has been working to keep up with growth over the past decade, with more than $100 million spent on capital investments

The expansion stands to benefit businesses around the airport

And there are plans for even more expansion. It is benefiting businesses around the airport.

Alexandra Lawson has been with The Flop Shop in downtown Melbourne for three years.

“We sell flip-flops, hats, shoes, sunglasses,” Lawson said

Items ideal for Florida weather, and a place tourists can come to stock up on things that they’ll need for their Sunshine State trip.

Recently, Lawson helped a lady visiting from France.

“I helped her find some shoes. She was with her mom, traveling,” she said. “We have a lot of people coming in from New York.”

Many of them are flying into Melbourne Orlando International Airport, which is minutes away from downtown.

The airport has been working to keep up with growth over the past decade, with more than $100 million spent on capital investments.

“Our three runways, our air traffic control tower, our terminal building, we’re really trying to keep pace with our tenant activity out here,” said Cliff Graham, the airport’s director of operations.

Twenty thousand people work in and around the airport. That includes thousands of aerospace workers in the high-tech corridor.

A big project happening now is geared toward the future.

“This is a multi-year project where we are widening the taxiway, new asphalt, new lighting system, to accommodate larger widebody aircraft,” Graham said.

Graham says they are working to finish this part of the runway before international tourism company TUI resumes its flights from Europe at the end of the month.

He says it’s convenient for those tourists to get to the parks, the beaches or watch rocket launches but to also spend money locally at shops and restaurants.

“Being able to welcome those visitors into our community,” says Graham.

Lawson welcomes them to shop at The Flop Shop.

“I love meeting them, talking to them, learning about where they came from and have great conversations,” she said with a smile.

The airport generates $3.2 billion in economic impact each year.