LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Federal Aviation Administration appears to be working on administrative tasks in order to reflect the name change of the largest airport in Las Vegas to Harry Reid International Airport.
New aircraft navigation maps, the visual flight rules terminal area chart, or VFR Las Vegas TAC, show Harry Reid International Airport instead of McCarran International Airport.
The maps help pilots navigate heavily regulated airspace above Las Vegas and surrounding areas.
The name change was first noticed on Twitter by a popular Las Vegas account.
Its official...
— Bryan Herbert 🇺🇸 (@KE6ZGP) June 14, 2021
McCarran Intl is out 🛫
Harry Reid Intl is in 🛬
These screencaps are from multiple FAA aeronautical charts that go into effect on Thursday, 17 June 2021. pic.twitter.com/vJTN5C0i0p
The new maps show they are effective starting June 17, 2021.
“This is an honor of a great statesman for my adopted father and I’m proud to be his adopted son," said businessman Stephen J. Cloobeck, the founder of Diamond Resorts International.
“This was a blessing to be involved, this is a man who deserves this great honor while he’s alive and we’re very, very excited," added Cloobeck.
In February, the FAA told 13 Action News the agency does not approve airport name changes but would need to complete some administrative tasks before officially recognizing any name change.
RELATED: What happens next? Renaming Las Vegas' McCarran Airport
The tasks include making the name change to properly track federal grant agreements, revising the Airport Master Record and air traffic control maps.
There are still questions about the timing and money to pay for the overall name change of the Las Vegas Airport.
“The numbers are coming together nicely as to what it will cost, not to be disclosed just yet, but obtainable," said Cloobeck.
"My first gift of $1 million is still valid to jump-start this campaign," added Cloobeck.
Cost estimates to cover new signage, designs, and other items to reflect the name change have been previously anywhere between $2-5 million.
“No tax dollars should be used for this, it will all be done through private donations and that vehicle is already been set up through the county,“ added Cloobeck.
13 Action News has reached out to Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom about the timing and progress of the name change, but we have not heard back as of Tuesday evening.
“I have seen some first renderings of what the airport will look like with its rebranding and boy it is going to be representative of a beautiful world-class city,“ said Cloobeck.
On Tuesday, Commissioner Segerbloom Tweeted his approval of the name change.
woohoo!! https://t.co/Omc9TvXxce
— Tick Segerblom (@tsegerblom) June 15, 2021
The Clark County Commission decided unanimously earlier this year to remove the McCarran name and legacy from the airport and instead rename it in honor of former Sen. Harry Reid.
Wednesday, a spokesperson for Clark County says the FAA has provided no formal notification on its finding of the proposed name change and that it is important to note that the cost of any name change must be borne by private donations, as stipulated by the Clark County Commission.
The spokesperson also said the estimated preliminary costs of such a change total $7.2 million with reports of donations to be provided to the county commission quarterly starting on July 20.
The airport was named in honor of former Sen. Patrick McCarran, who represented Nevada between 1933 and 1954. Some say he supported racist, anti-immigrant and anti-semitic policies, but he was also a massive supporter of aviation.
This has drawn fierce reaction -- both for and against -- the idea.
