Local committee tours Grand Forks AFB Published Sept. 30, 2013 By Tim Flack 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Grand Forks county officials worked with the Air Force to host a recent tour at the on-base site of a proposed Enhanced Use Lease project. The county, in cooperation with the Base Realignment Impact Committee (BRIC) and the Center for Innovation, is negotiating with the Air Force to lease the land for a proposed state-of-the-art aviation business and technology park they're calling Grand Sky. The county asked for access to the site so they could brief North Dakota legislators and other officials on the project, which they say will be focused on "development, training, operations, maintenance and analysis," of unmanned aerial systems. Grand Forks County Commissioner John Schmisek said he was very pleased to be able to showcase the 200-plus acre site currently under negotiation. "Legislators were able to understand more fully the impact Grand Sky can have for the state of North Dakota," Schimisek said. "As some of them said, it gives them a better basis to promote support for the project with their fellow lawmakers." Before visiting the EUL site, the group received a mission brief and a windshield tour of the installation. "BRIC was very happy to sponsor the tour of GFAFB," Schmisek said. "The folks at the air base were excellent hosts and did show how the various missions at the base are functioning. People on the tour, including state legislators, were extremely impressed at how well the base is maintained and the critical missions supported by GFAFB."