Cleveland Regional Jetport was constructed to replace Hardwick Field, established in 1955 and located about 2 miles (3.2 km) to the west.

By the early 1970s, many local leaders had come to view Hardwick Field's facilities as inadequate for the community.

[4] In 1991, then-newly elected mayor of Cleveland Tom Rowland set a goal for a new general aviation airport for the city.

[3] On January 28, 2005, several proposals to lengthen and expand the runway at Hardwick Field, which would have required additional purchased land, were presented to the airport authority.

[7] Many residents living around the airport expressed opposition to these proposals, and requested that the city pursue and new site instead.

The contract for phase one of construction, which including wetland mitigation and preliminary work, was signed on November 20, 2009.