Construction has begun on the SkyBridge terminal and hangar project at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport after developer KOPF Acquisitions LLC secured a $40 million construction loan.
The financing, provided by Mexico City-based Gueld Internacional S.A., is structured as a leasehold mortgage covering 24.2 acres that KOPF leases from Miami-Dade County. The site, located on the airport’s east side, was acquired in 2020 when KOPF bought out the previous leaseholder for $12.12 million.
Doral-based Link Construction Group filed notice with the county that it has started work on the project, which is approved for eight aircraft hangars totaling nearly 200,000 square feet. The plans also include more than 8,100 square feet of office space and a 3,200-square-foot terminal.
SkyBridge, managed by Felipe Monroy Torres of Aventura, is the latest private aviation development at Opa Locka, one of the busiest general aviation airports in the U.S. The airport has seen a surge in private jet activity in recent years, driven by demand from corporate travelers, seasonal visitors, and residents moving to South Florida.
SkyBridge joins a wave of both public and private investment at the airport. In 2022, Canadian aerospace giant Bombardier opened a massive 300,000-square-foot service center on site, consolidating and expanding its operations to serve a growing fleet of private jets in the region.
The company’s technology allows banks and fintech firms to embed real-time cross-border payments directly into their own apps, bypassing the need for third-party transfer platforms. The model is aimed at streamlining how financial institutions serve customers sending money abroad, especially in regions with limited access to modern banking infrastructure.
Palla currently partners with over 30 financial institutions and distributors, mainly across Latin America and the Caribbean, reaching a combined end-user base of more than 150 million people. The company plans to expand into additional markets in Europe, Africa, and Asia.
David Golden of Revolution Ventures and Heidi Miller, former president of JPMorgan International, will join Palla’s board.
CEO Enrique Perezalonso, who previously worked in retail banking in both Mexico and the U.S., said the funding will go toward opening new payment corridors and introducing additional money transfer tools.
The platform is part of a broader trend of fintechs trying to modernize the international payments sector, long dominated by slower, fee-heavy legacy providers.
The lease replaces MSC’s prior agreement, in place since 2004, and maintains Port Everglades Terminal, LLC as the terminal operator. “This agreement strengthens our role as a vital global gateway for trade,” said Port CEO Joseph Morris.
The operation is expected to generate more than $161 million in annual business service revenue and support 425 jobs, with an estimated $10.5 million in state and local taxes projected in the first year alone, based on 85,000 container moves. Those figures are anticipated to grow over time.
The deal also transfers several permanent terminal upgrades to Port Everglades, including an office building, refrigerated container racks for 450 reefers, crane pads, and shore power infrastructure for 116 refrigerated containers. These assets are not being abandoned; rather, they remain in active use under the new lease terms and will become port-owned infrastructure.
Port Everglades, a key cargo hub linking the U.S. to Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia, handles over one million TEUs annually. It is also one of the nation’s busiest cruise ports, welcoming over four million passengers in fiscal year 2024 – a 39% year-over-year increase. Overall, the port supports more than $26.5 billion in economic activity and nearly 193,000 jobs statewide
