The event will mark the completion of the long-awaited control tower at the Ocala international Airport. The 91-foot tower will be staffed by air traffic controllers funded by the Federal Aviation Administration. The Florida Department of Transportation provided $1.95 million of the $2.43 million project with the City of Ocala providing the remainder.

The City has been working for five years to get approval and funding for the tower. The airport has about 100,000 operations per year.

The tower not only will improve safety, it will be an added incentive in the recruitment of companies that have corporate aircraft.

Of the 5,190 public access airports in the U.S., less than 10 percent have an air traffic control tower.

The tower is expected to begin operations in January. Edwards Construction Services Inc. of Ocala was the contractor.