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MDC to give $100,000 to help airport get grant
by Courtney Bacalso
Midland Reporter-Telegram
By Courtney Bacalso
Staff Writer
While the airline service industry has been teetering on the brink of a recession, Midland International Airport officials say the Tall City may have an upper hand in convincing them to provide service here.
And Midland Development Corp. board members agreed Friday to put some money out to help arm the airport with the tool -- the Small Community Air Service.
MDC agreed to partner with the airport in applying for the grant by being the required local non-airport revenue source to contribute $100,000.
City airport director Marv Esterly said he hopes to receive a $500,000 grant from the federal government with the MDC contribution and an additional $100,000 approved by the City Council earlier this week.
"This will further help us with our efforts to recruit and retain airline service," Esterly said. "The airline industry has been plagued with rising fuel costs -- it becoming their No. 1 expense. These funds can help us with incentives to help ease the companies."
In order to qualify for the grant, small hub airports must show they have unreasonably high airfares and lack of adequate service in terms of geographical diversity.
Airfare prices for Midland International happen to be above average, Esterly said.
"We would fall under that category since we are lacking flights to the west and northwest," Esterly said.
He added Midland needs to find solutions to obtain more westbound flights before 2014 when flights may be back hauling to Dallas -- adding an hour or two to the travel time of passengers traveling westbound.
Other Texas cities that have received the federal grant include Tyler, Laredo, Victoria and Abilene -- which received it twice.
"It is our belief that the government will see that these small communities will have a slim chance of attracting airlines," Esterly said. "With our load factors, we would be in better standing."
As of March 2008, more than 480,000 passengers used the airport during this fiscal year -- a 4 percent increase from last, according to city statistics.
The idea regarding the grant came about during talks with a prospective airline that will be making decisions about its future service in the next few months, Esterly said.
If the federal government awards Midland with the grant, Esterly said the money could be used for a variety of ways including marketing the airport and providing subsidies for airlines companies.
The move would further the efforts of the airport board in its airline retention and recruitment program, which the City Council approved nearly $39,000 toward back in February.
Courtney Bacalso may be reached at c.bacalso@mrt.com.
Staff Writer
While the airline service industry has been teetering on the brink of a recession, Midland International Airport officials say the Tall City may have an upper hand in convincing them to provide service here.
And Midland Development Corp. board members agreed Friday to put some money out to help arm the airport with the tool -- the Small Community Air Service.
MDC agreed to partner with the airport in applying for the grant by being the required local non-airport revenue source to contribute $100,000.
City airport director Marv Esterly said he hopes to receive a $500,000 grant from the federal government with the MDC contribution and an additional $100,000 approved by the City Council earlier this week.
"This will further help us with our efforts to recruit and retain airline service," Esterly said. "The airline industry has been plagued with rising fuel costs -- it becoming their No. 1 expense. These funds can help us with incentives to help ease the companies."
In order to qualify for the grant, small hub airports must show they have unreasonably high airfares and lack of adequate service in terms of geographical diversity.
Airfare prices for Midland International happen to be above average, Esterly said.
"We would fall under that category since we are lacking flights to the west and northwest," Esterly said.
He added Midland needs to find solutions to obtain more westbound flights before 2014 when flights may be back hauling to Dallas -- adding an hour or two to the travel time of passengers traveling westbound.
Other Texas cities that have received the federal grant include Tyler, Laredo, Victoria and Abilene -- which received it twice.
"It is our belief that the government will see that these small communities will have a slim chance of attracting airlines," Esterly said. "With our load factors, we would be in better standing."
As of March 2008, more than 480,000 passengers used the airport during this fiscal year -- a 4 percent increase from last, according to city statistics.
The idea regarding the grant came about during talks with a prospective airline that will be making decisions about its future service in the next few months, Esterly said.
If the federal government awards Midland with the grant, Esterly said the money could be used for a variety of ways including marketing the airport and providing subsidies for airlines companies.
The move would further the efforts of the airport board in its airline retention and recruitment program, which the City Council approved nearly $39,000 toward back in February.
Courtney Bacalso may be reached at c.bacalso@mrt.com.
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the-eurasianearthlink.net wrote on Jun 1, 2008 7:34 AM:
MARV ESTERLY, MIDLAND CITY AIRPORT DIRECTOR
MDC MEMBERS
This is Eurasian's opinion about one government entity giving this $100,000 grant to another government entity.
Is it Marv Esterly's and MDC's intention to violate the US Constitution?
It is HYPOCRICY when MDC practices philantrophy BUT DOES NOT PAY THE JUST COMPENSATION IT OWES EURASIAN!!!
Eurasi8an solved MDC's problem on DOWNTOWN MIDLAND RAILROAD CROSSING PROBLEM BY EXPERIMENTALLY PROPOSING THAT POSTS BE USED ON THE RAILROAD CROSSING MEDIANS..
City Government experts and contractors did not solve the railroad crossing problem but only WASTED GOVERNMENT MONEY AND PRODUCED DANGEROUS RAILROAD CROSSINGS BY BUILDING RAISED CONCRETE MEDIANS ON MIDLAND'S RAILROAD CROSSINGS WHICH TRAPPED AND KILLED MR. KHANH TRAN AND HIS CAR AT THE EISENHOWER- HIWY 80 RAILROAD CROSSING.
Before MDC tries to be a philantropist by giving a $100,000 grant to the airport - which is actually one city government entity giving money to another city government entity, MDC SHOULD FIRST PAY JUST COMPENSATION FOR WHAT IT OWES TO EURASIAN. OTHERWISE, MDC AND MARV ESTERLY ARE ALL ENEMIES OF THE US CONSTITUTION, FIFTH AMENDMENT AND ARTICLE 1, SECTION 8 CLAUSE 8!!!! "