KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — The Kearney Regional Airport is preparing to unveil its renovation project and to resume flights to Denver International Airport.

The airport’s new carrier, SkyWest/United Express, will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house on Sept. 5, City Manager Mike Morgan told the Kearney Hub . The city has renovated parts of the terminal to suit SkyWest operations, such as its baggage handling system, Morgan said.

He said the air carrier is preparing its staff while a concrete contractor works to complete the $12 million main runway replacement.

Morgan said the project has encountered many challenges because of the wet spring and summer, but that it’s on schedule for the open house.

“Even though we got some rain, we’ve made some progress,” he said. “Essentially they’re right on schedule, and I think they’ll make a lot of progress in the next several days, just bring on the sunshine,” Morgan said.

The U.S. Department of Transportation selected SkyWest to fly 50-seat passenger jets between Kearney and Denver a year ago. SkyWest is replacing PenAir, the Alaska-based airline that dropped the Kearney-to-Denver route citing difficulties maintaining an adequate number of pilots.

City leaders hope SkyWest’s jets will help increase passenger traffic at the Kearney airport.

SkyWest/United Express will receive an Essential Air Service DOT subsidy of almost $3.7 million annually for its first two years in Kearney.