MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 7, 2026--
Ocean Aviation, backed by Kennedy Lewis Investment Management (“Kennedy Lewis”), broke ground on October 7, 2026 on a new private aviation campus at Miami Executive Airport (KTMB). The development represents a $67 million capital commitment, which will establish a state-of-the-art facility designed to accommodate up to 400,000 square feet of hangar space across communal and private configurations, a premium terminal, and a fuel farm.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261007167409/en/
A Platform Built for South Florida’s Private Aviation Market
Ocean Aviation was established in 2024 with the execution of a 40-year, 40-acre ground lease at Miami Executive Airport, positioning the company to develop one of the most significant new fixed base operator (“FBO”) facilities in the southeastern United States. Ocean Aviation has since expanded its South Florida footprint with the September 2026 acquisition of National Jets at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (KFLL), a Fort Lauderdale FBO with more than 60 years of history. National Jets will continue to operate under its established name, and together KTMB and KFLL form a dual-airport network serving the Miami–Fort Lauderdale metro.
The development serves the growing base of ultra-high-net-worth individuals, corporate flight departments, and international private aviation operators across the Miami metro, one of the most supply-constrained and fastest-growing private aviation markets in the United States.
A Modern Gateway for General Aviation
The new development will include a fuel farm, a state-of-the-art FBO, communal and private aircraft hangars, and the relocation of the Wings Over Miami Air Museum. The project also includes a 32,000-square-foot common-use taxi lane and common-use ramp serving U.S. Customs and Border Protection, creating infrastructure designed to support more efficient aircraft movements and international general aviation operations.
At the center of the development will be Ocean Aviation’s new FBO, envisioned as a modern gateway for private, corporate and general aviation customers using Miami Executive Airport. The facility will be complemented by communal and private hangar space, providing additional aircraft storage and operational capacity. Together, these improvements represent a substantial modernization of both the airside and landside environment at the airport.
A New Home for the Wings Over Miami Air Museum
A significant community component of the development will be the relocation of the Wings Over Miami Air Museum to a new home at Miami Executive Airport. The museum preserves and displays historic aircraft and aviation artifacts while supporting aviation education and maintaining an important connection to South Florida’s aviation history.
Design-Build Delivery
The project will be delivered through a design-build model led by Lemartec, with Schenkel Shultz serving as the design partner. The integrated delivery approach brings together aviation planning, design and construction expertise to develop a cohesive facility capable of supporting the specialized operational requirements of a modern FBO and aviation development.
“Ocean Aviation is an incredible vision becoming reality today. Through my career in Formula 1 and Indycar, I’ve had the chance to work with some of the most brilliant people and what I’ve learned is that every detail matters, even the smallest ones. This is our philosophy and why we want to set new standards for private aviation through exceptional service, thoughtful design and operational excellence. Breaking ground at Miami Executive Airport is a defining milestone for our company — it allows us to create a flagship aviation campus built around the needs of aircraft owners, operators and flight departments, and to set a new standard for the FBO experience in South Florida.”
— Romain Grosjean, Executive Chairman, Ocean Aviation
"Today's groundbreaking reflects our continued conviction in the South Florida market and our commitment to building a world-class FBO platform. Durable demand across the region, a 40-year ground lease here at Miami Executive, and the airport's growing role as a general aviation port of entry make this a cornerstone asset for the Ocean Aviation platform. With a team on the ground in Miami and a platform that now includes National Jets in Fort Lauderdale, we're proud to partner with Miami-Dade County in building infrastructure that will drive jobs and economic growth across South Florida for decades to come."
— David Chene, Managing Partner, Kennedy Lewis Investment Management
"It is a privilege for Lemartec and the MasTec General Building Group to continue supporting Miami-Dade County and the Miami-Dade Aviation Department while helping bring Ocean Aviation's vision to life. After delivering critical public infrastructure projects across the county, we are proud to partner on this transformative private investment. Ocean Aviation is setting a new standard for private aviation through innovation, service, and operational excellence, and we are honored to help build a facility that will shape the future of aviation in Miami."
— Manny Garcia-Tuñón, Group President, Lemartec
ABOUT OCEAN AVIATION
Ocean Aviation is a premium private aviation services company backed by Kennedy Lewis Investment Management, building a best-in-class FBO platform in key U.S. aviation markets. Founded in 2024, Ocean Aviation is developing one of the most ambitious purpose-built FBO facilities in the southeastern United States at Miami Executive Airport (KTMB), and recently acquired National Jets at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (KFLL). Ocean Aviation is led by an experienced team of aviation and real estate professionals and is supported by Kennedy Lewis’s flexible capital platform and deep industry relationships.
ABOUT KENNEDY LEWIS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
Kennedy Lewis is an alternative investment firm founded in 2017 by David K. Chene and Darren L. Richman with approximately $37 billion under management. The firm provides flexible capital solutions and partners with businesses navigating periods of transition and transformation.
This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current expectations and assumptions. Actual results may differ materially. This release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any securities.
To request materials in accessible format, Sign Language Interpreters, CART services and/or any accommodation to participate in any Miami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) public meetings and events, please email the ADA Office at ADAcoordinator@miami-airport.com or call the office at 305-869-1859 five days in advance to initiate your request. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may also call 711 (Florida Relay Service).
Rendering of Ocean Aviation’s planned flagship FBO at Miami Executive Airport.
Republicans are increasingly anxious that the $1 billion at their disposal may not be enough to fend off sweeping midterm election losses as the party reckons with President Donald Trump’s unpopularity, persistent cost concerns and the fallout from the war in Iran. Despite their cash advantage, the spending is coming in late, forcing MAGA Inc. to pay much higher rates because of the shrinking availability of air time.
Trump's Department of Homeland Security proposed a $70,000 fee on Wednesday for each international student seeking to work in the United States after they graduate, as it seeks to reduce foreign enrollment in U.S. higher education. DHS says requiring universities to pay the fees will shut down a “pipeline for cheap foreign labor.”
And the White House said Trump will announce Wednesday that all Americans under age 18 are being automatically enrolled in Trump Accounts. The accounts are linked to Social Security numbers and require using a Trump Accounts app. The White House said automatic enrollment makes it easier for families to participate. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and philanthropists Michael and Susan Dell are expected to attend.
The Latest:
“They’re sharing it a little bit with our people. We expect them to share it a lot with our people,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday, when asked if Russia has been sharing enough information on the death of a lab employee in Siberia.
The president added that he had “just met with our people” to talk about the situation. “We have brilliant experts,” Trump said. “They know everything about what’s going on.”
Appearing with Trump in the Oval Office, Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz made a point of mentioning Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom when praising Trump accounts.
“To give a sense of the broadness of the impact,” Cruz said before adding, “Gavin Newsom had a press conference celebrating the Trump accounts.”
He said that the governor saluted Trump and proved “miracles could happen.”
Newsom has praised the federal accounts for children as one of the best things Trump has done.
Cruz added Newsom said “nice things about you and nice things about me, and lightning did not strike anything.”
Cruz is widely considered a likely 2028 presidential candidate and so is Newsom.
Trump said he would be willing to put a presidential retreat at his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida because “it seems that all presidents play golf.”
“This wouldn’t be for me,” Trump said. “This would be for all future presidents.”
Trump said the location, which is near a public library, would be ideal because it’s close to the airport and there are not houses or “high buildings” surrounding the greens.
“I love Alabama. I’ve got to go to the game,” Trump responded, when asked if Tropical Storm Isaias — which could become the year’s first Atlantic hurricane — might affect his plans to attend the game in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Saturday night.
Forecasts have the storm menacing the Gulf Coast. That might affect Alabama in coming days.
Trump said he didn’t want to do “anything to take the focus” away from “all of the great people that work on those things,” including first responders and police, adding “We’ll have to see” about his travel plans.
Ahead of the Nobel Peace Prize being announced, Trump said he deserved the award from the Norwegian Nobel Committee but, “They have a reputation for maybe not giving it to people like me.”
Trump, who launched a war in Iran this year, went through his accomplishments for which believed qualified him for the Nobel. He also noted that the 2025 winner, Venezuela’s María Corina Machado, gave him her award.
“Whether I get it or not, I have done far more,” Trump said. “And I think it would be a great discredit to them” if he goes unrecognized.
The president said Paxton is “a great attorney general” and that he thought he’d be “a great senator.”
In leaked, recent audio, Paxton, the Texas attorney general, was recorded as saying his campaign was being run by Washington, rather than himself.
Trump’s endorsement of Paxton helped him beat incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn in the GOP primary. But Paxton is now locked in a close race with Democrat James Talarico — even in America’s largest reliably Republican state.
Asked if he now regretted backing Paxton, Trump said that Paxton was “the best attorney general of the whole country.”
Asked if the recent death of a Russian lab worker was a sign that a plague might be developed as bioweapon, Trump said, “We don’t think so so. We’re going to find out soon enough, but we don’t think so.”
Trump had previously indicated that he would speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the issue. When asked if the situation was similar to dealing with China on the coronavirus during his first term, Trump suggested that Russia was staying relatively quiet on the issue just as China did before the virus turned into a global pandemic.
“China didn’t say much and Russia is not saying much either, but they do say they have it very much under control,” Trump said.
Trump says that 70 million children under the age of 18 will now have automatic “Trump Accounts” set up by the government to invest in stocks.
Parents and legal guardians need formally claim the accounts by using the program’s website or mobile phone app. Trump called the accounts “a passion of love” that promotes capitalism.
The accounts were part of the 2025 tax overhaul and allow after-tax contributions of up to $5,000 a year, with the government seeding accounts with $1,000 for children born between 2025 and 2028.
Trump says he will press two of his top political advisers on their outside consulting work amid scrutiny over their efforts to help a pro-Russian government in the Balkans.
The New York Times reported Tuesday that as Trump was campaigning last week ahead of next month’s midterm elections, advisers James Blair and Chris LaCivita were in Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Serb-majority entity of Republika Srpska assisting with local elections.
“Chris LaCivita and James Blair are outside consultants,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social site. “They are allowed to do work for others, just like all consultants in Washington, D.C.”
“I do not have any idea who else they work for but will, on reflection, ask them and, if there’s a conflict, I will terminate them, immediately!” he wrote.
Blair served as White House deputy chief of staff before departing to lead Trump’s outside political operation. LaCivita was co-manager of his winning 2024 campaign.
The two did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Standing in front of the ruins of the Acropolis, Secretary of State Marco Rubio made the case for nationalism, while trying to maintain the importance of global alliances.
In a sweeping and dramatic speech about ancient civilization that reflected his political aspirations beyond being America’s top diplomat, Rubio warned European countries that decisions made in the next decade “will determine whether the West maintains its place at the head of the world, or resigns itself to a future of atrophy and servitude and decline.”
“We will either choose to act now, or lose the choice to act at all,” he said. “Under President Trump, the United States has made its choice. We choose the unapologetic pursuit of national power.”
Rubio also said despite “passions” that have strained U.S.-Europe relations, allied-countries must work to “rebuild our institutions and our alliances to face these threats together.”
Mike Rogers, the Republican nominee for Senate in Michigan, released an ad Wednesday calling for an end to President Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada, marking the second recent break with the president by the battleground state candidate.
“We know that Canada is not our enemy,” Rogers says in the video. “We need to end this tariff war now.”
The U.S. and Canada have been locked in an escalating trade war since Trump imposed 50% tariffs on roughly $20 billion worth of Canadian goods this summer. Rogers previously defended some of the tariffs as “necessary.”
Rogers has also recently called for the U.S. war with Iran to “end quickly.” He had previously backed the war.
Rogers, once a critic of Trump, has aligned himself closely with the president since his first Senate campaign in 2024 and has Trump’s endorsement this year. Rogers faces progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed for the open Senate seat.
The $70,000 fee proposed Wednesday for international students seeking to work in the United States is just the latest Trump administration effort to reduce foreign enrollment in U.S. higher education. A Department of Homeland Security statement described the fee as a response to visa fraud and abuse that created a “pipeline for cheap foreign labor.”
And Trump on Tuesday said he has a call scheduled with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss a possible case of plague at a Siberian research institute. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he would be talking with Putin about the case “very soon.”
The Latest:
Last year, the Republican administration began suddenly terminating the legal status of thousands of international students, detaining and deporting many of them, as part of its wider efforts to crack down on immigration and reshape higher education.
This summer, the administration finalized a rule that sought to prevent international students from staying in the U.S. for more than four years without approval from the federal government. The move drew swift backlash from higher education leaders who said it would increase the burden on schools and noted that many programs are longer than four years by design. A federal court prevented the rule from taking effect in September.
The $70,000 fee proposed Wednesday for international students seeking to work in the United States is just the latest Trump administration effort to reduce foreign enrollment in U.S. higher education. A Department of Homeland Security statement described the fee as a response to visa fraud and abuse that created a “pipeline for cheap foreign labor.”
It would require schools to pay for each student participating in an optional practice training program, known as OPT, in jobs related to their major during or after their time in school. Students are generally eligible for one year of work post-graduation, though certain science, technology, engineering and math majors are eligible for an additional two years. The initial application would cost $70,000, plus a $30,000 fee for each renewal.
The public has 60 days to commen t on the proposal before DHS can finalize it and put it into effect. The proposal also could face legal challenges from higher education groups or business associations that could delay it.
The White House said the president is announcing that all Americans under age 18 are being automatically enrolled in Trump Accounts.
The Treasury Department described the new initiative last week, saying it’s opening accounts for all children with a valid Social Security Number, which their parents or guardians can claim through the Trump Accounts app.
Children born during Trump’s second term automatically qualify for $1,000 from the government. Other minors can invest their own money into the tax-advantaged accounts, and draw on it when they turn 18 for costs like school or a home.
The White House said automatic enrollment makes it easier for families to participate.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Michael and Susan Dell are expected to be among those attending the 1 p.m. event at the White House.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio says there should be no confusion over the Trump administration’s ultimate goal with respect to the Iran war — and that is to prevent the country from ever developing a nuclear weapon.
Rubio made the comments on Wednesday at a news conference in Athens with the Greek foreign minister after Vice President JD Vance told Reuters that the administration might be able to accept an agreement that calls for Iran to make a “meaningful” decrease in its capacity for nuclear enrichment.
President Donald Trump has previously said Iran should not be allowed the capability to enrich.
“I don’t understand where the confusion is about the nuclear program,” Rubio said. “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. Simple, period, end of story. I’m not going to go into the details about what would be acceptable or not. I can tell you this: that they’re not going to ever have a nuclear program.”
Republican Sen. Susan Collins argued during the first of four debates with Democrat Troy Jackson that she’s the most independent senator in Congress, repeatedly voting against Trump’s agenda. “I’m not exactly his favorite senator,” she said.
Jackson, a former state Senate president and logger, pointed to Collins’ critical vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a Trump nominee who eventually helped overturn the constitutional right to abortion. “Would you trust her to pick the next Supreme Court justice?” he asked.
Collins argued that her seniority and experience in the Senate have resulted in money and resources for Maine. She touted her ability to remove certain items from Trump’s trade war with Canada, including pulp, concrete and road salt.
Jackson’s response: “We can’t eat road salt.”
▶ Read more
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito told The Associated Press in a rare interview that rhetoric about the court from Trump and his administration doesn’t sit well with him.
“I personally am not pleased with that,” he said. “Everybody in this country has the right to criticize what we do. The substance of their criticism can be quite harsh. If we deserve it, then that’s fine. But rhetoric is a different story.”
Alito also criticized the escalating volume of emergency appeals before the court, but said there’s little the justices can do to change the trajectory. Such petitions have skyrocketed during Trump’s second administration, putting the court at the center of hotly debated issues such as the Republican president’s new ballroom construction and his proposed restrictions on mail ballots in the midterm elections.
Alito spoke in connection with his first book, “So Ordered: An Originalist’s View of The Constitution, The Court and Our Country.”
▶ Read more
Republicans are increasingly anxious that the $1 billion at their disposal may not be enough to fend off sweeping midterm election losses as the party reckons with Trump’s unpopularity, persistent cost concerns and the fallout from the war in Iran.
The cash advantage, spread out across a half-dozen groups, is driven largely by the Trump-aligned MAGA Inc., which had nearly $416 million on hand at the end of August and increased its spending on critical races in September.
But that money may have come too late, forcing the president’s group to pay much higher rates because of the shrinking availability of air time. Four Republican Senate campaign officials said groups that reserved advertising time last spring paid much lower rates than MAGA Inc. and its affiliated groups. Now, the Trump-connected organizations are sometimes paying more than five times what they would have spent if they had acted earlier.
▶ Read more
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, toasts with Russian soldiers during a meeting with teachers at the Kremlin in Moscow, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. (Kristina Solovyova, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Associate Justice Samuel Alito stands in his chambers at the Supreme Court during an Associated Press interview, in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Pedestrians walk along Islamic Revolution street in Tehran, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
President Donald Trump speaks at an event for Anduril Industries, Inc., at Sparrows Point Shipyard, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Sparrows Point, Md. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
