It's been over 10 years in the making.

"This is the biggest thing that's happened in this area and I couldn't be more happier for everybody throughout Northwest Florida," Gov. Charlie Crist said.

The Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is open for business. Those playing a major role in the airport's big day helped to cut the big ribbon.

"In this day and age new international airports are once in a generation. I've proud that the new Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is a reality," Britt Greene, C.E.O of the St. Joe Company said.

We all know the new airport site has seen it's fair share of struggles.

"I'd like to thank publicly that each and every one of you that believed in this from the beginning when sometimes we didn't believe ourselves," Joe Tannehill, Chairman of the Airport Authority Board.

Northwest Florida's local delegation believes this day is the beginning of something big.

"It's been a kinda pinch me type day. I didn't realize we would finally see it coming. Even though this is the ceremonial ribbon cutting, it will be what we have that comes after this, the buzz for the passengers that will use this airport," Rep. Jimmy Patronis, (R) District 3 said.

"It's going to help create a lot of jobs which is so important when we've gone through one of the worst economic times," Sen. Al Lawson, (D) Tallahassee said.

"First off it's beautiful. It's beautiful. It's modern, but more than that it's green. We are showing the world how to build an energy efficient building. I'm excited. I love every inch of it," Rep. Marti Coley, (R) District 7 said.

For U.S. Senator Bill Nelson this day is special. Nelson's great-great grandfather came to Northwest Florida over 180 years ago.

"And when you see the transition of this part of Florida over those two centuries, but you can only imagine the transition of this part of Florida over the next century," Nelson, (D) Florida said.

"I can tell you all of this wouldn't happen without a very key factor. Your local support," Congressman Allen Boyd, (D) Monticello said.

While the airport won't change things overnight, these leaders say that change isn't far down the road.

"We want to make it as easy as possible for people to visit. We've got 85 million visitors each and every year that come to the sunshine state. We want to make it easy for them to come," Crist said.