On October 23, 1995, with a $10 million budget and after the old tower, previously used by the US Air Force, "was demolished", construction began on building Austin's tallest primary building () that houses air traffic controllers. Being completed a year before the current president Bill Clinton arrived with his entourage, enabling Air Force One to be granted clearance to land, thus making the president "the first passenger" to arrive. The tower when completed is behind Dallas and Houston as the tallest tower in the state.