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MTSU’s Shelbyville Aerospace facility marks constr...

MTSU’s Shelbyville Aerospace facility marks construction milestone with ‘topping out’

Representatives from the Middle Tennessee State University Board of Trustees and other MTSU officials join elected officials from the city of Shelbyville, Tenn., for a group photo with the ceremonial beam at the topping-out ceremony held Tuesday, July 21, 2026, for the MTSU Aerospace Department’s $62 million flight training center under construction at the Shelbyville Municipal Airport. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)

SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University, the city of Shelbyville and Hoar Construction held a topping-out ceremony on Tuesday, July 21, for the state-of-the-art $62 million flight training center under construction at the city’s municipal airport.

The event, which placed a ceremonial final beam on the highest point of the 52,000-square-foot project, was organized by builder Hoar Construction and attended by various local and state officials as well as MTSU executives and supporters who signed the beam before it was placed.

MTSU’s Shelbyville operation plans, announced in September 2023, will result in an aviation hub that addresses the critical need for expansion and growth of the Department of Aerospace and its exploding pilot training program — while also meeting an important aviation industry need when it is completed by the spring of 2028 off U.S. 231 in Bedford County.

Sidney A. McPhee, president of Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn., gives remarks at the topping-out ceremony held Tuesday, July 21, 2026, for the MTSU Aerospace Department’s $62 million flight training center, under construction in the background, at the Shelbyville Municipal Airport in Bedford County. In front of McPhee is the ceremonial beam that was later placed at the highest point of the structure. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)
Sidney A. McPhee, president of Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn., gives remarks at the topping-out ceremony held Tuesday, July 21, 2026, for the MTSU Aerospace Department’s $62 million flight training center, under construction in the background, at the Shelbyville Municipal Airport in Bedford County. In front of McPhee is the ceremonial beam that was later placed at the highest point of the structure. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)
Sidney A. McPhee, MTSU President.
Dr. Sidney A. McPhee

MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee praised Hoar Construction, the TMP architectural firm and the many subcontractors for the progress already made on erecting the facility in partnership with MTSU’s Campus Planning staff since the groundbreaking in December.

“While this facility will be an important part of MTSU and the assets of our university, today really belongs to the construction team. The topping-out ceremony is a testament to what can be achieved through careful planning, shared purpose, and an unwavering commitment to excellence,” said McPhee, who also thanked the Shelbyville City Council, Mayor Randy Carroll and staff. 

In addition to the beam signing and placement, the ceremony featured a small evergreen tree, as well as an American flag, along with Hoar Construction and MTSU banners affixed to the structure, “all long-standing symbols of pride, of workmanship, collaboration among trades, and optimism for the future,” McPhee added.

Jason Bennett, division president for Hoar Construction, gives remarks at the topping-out ceremony held Tuesday, July 21, 2026, for the Middle Tennessee State University Aerospace Department’s $62 million flight training center, under construction in the background, at the Shelbyville, Tenn., Municipal Airport. In front of Bennett is the ceremonial beam that was later placed at the highest point of the structure. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)
Jason Bennett, division president for Hoar Construction, gives remarks at the topping-out ceremony held Tuesday, July 21, 2026, for the Middle Tennessee State University Aerospace Department’s $62 million flight training center, under construction in the background, at the Shelbyville, Tenn., Municipal Airport. In front of Bennett is the ceremonial beam that was later placed at the highest point of the structure. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)
Three workers with Hoar Construction prepare the ceremonial beam to be lifted as part of the topping-out ceremony held Tuesday, July 21, 2026, for the Middle Tennessee State University Aerospace Department’s $62 million flight training center under construction at the Shelbyville, Tenn., Municipal Airport. The beam was later placed at the highest point of the 52,000-square-foot structure. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)
Three workers with Hoar Construction prepare the ceremonial beam to be lifted as part of the topping-out ceremony held Tuesday, July 21, 2026, for the Middle Tennessee State University Aerospace Department’s $62 million flight training center under construction at the Shelbyville, Tenn., Municipal Airport. The beam was later placed at the highest point of the 52,000-square-foot structure. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)

“Construction is all about milestones, and for us, it’s on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. This is a very big one for us,” said Jason Bennett, division president for Hoar Construction. “We can actually all see the shape and structure of the building that’s going to be up out there. And I know that everyone is excited.”

MTSU Board of Trustees Chairman Stephen Smith was joined at the ceremony by fellow Trustees Tom Boyd, Jimmy Granbery, John Floyd, Bill Jones and Student Trustee R.J. Ware. Smith thanked Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and his staff for “a miracle of state cooperation” in working to help secure financing for a world-class facility that “is going to be a big deal.”

Pictured front row, from left, Middle Tennessee State University Board of Trustees members Jimmy Granbery, Chairman Stephen Smith and John Floyd and Shelbyville Mayor Randy Carroll sign the ceremonial beam at the topping-out ceremony held Tuesday, July 21, for the $62 million flight training center for MTSU’s Aerospace Department under construction at the Shelbyville, Tenn., Municipal Airport in Bedford County. In the background, awaiting his opportunity to sign, is MTSU Trustee Tom Boyd. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)
Pictured front row, from left, Middle Tennessee State University Board of Trustees members Jimmy Granbery, Chairman Stephen Smith and John Floyd and Shelbyville Mayor Randy Carroll sign the ceremonial beam at the topping-out ceremony held Tuesday, July 21, for the $62 million flight training center for MTSU’s Aerospace Department under construction at the Shelbyville, Tenn., Municipal Airport in Bedford County. In the background, awaiting his opportunity to sign, is MTSU Trustee Tom Boyd. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)

Mayor Carroll applauded how smoothly the administrative and construction processes have gone thus far with “very little problems,” while alumnus and Airport Director Paul Perry noted that he is “looking forward to this Taj Mahal that we’re going to have here on this airport.”

MTSU Aerospace logo featuring MT and airplane.

Housed within the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, MTSU’s Aerospace Department features 20 full-time faculty, more than 100 flight instructors, and over 1,400 students representing 32 states and 10 countries.

Currently, MTSU has dual operations based out of the Murfreesboro Airport and Shelbyville Municipal Airport in Bedford County. Operations at the Shelbyville airport are currently located in temporary facilities, which will be relocated to permanent structures upon completion of the construction.

You can watch the full ceremony on True Blue TV On-Demand.

— Jimmy Hart ([email protected]), Andrew Oppmann ([email protected])

Representatives from the Middle Tennessee State University Board of Trustees and other MTSU officials join elected officials from the city of Shelbyville, Tenn., for a group photo with the ceremonial beam at the topping-out ceremony held Tuesday, July 21, 2026, for the MTSU Aerospace Department’s $62 million flight training center under construction at the Shelbyville Municipal Airport. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)
Representatives from the Middle Tennessee State University Board of Trustees and other MTSU officials join elected officials from the city of Shelbyville, Tenn., for a group photo with the ceremonial beam at the topping-out ceremony held Tuesday, July 21, 2026, for the MTSU Aerospace Department’s $62 million flight training center under construction at the Shelbyville Municipal Airport. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)
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