After an eight-year
layover, Lake County and its’s economic development agency have
ceremonially taken over the Lost Nation Airport in Willoughby.
Members
of the Lake County Port and Economic Development Authority, Willoughby
and Mentor city officials and Lake County leaders gathered for a ribbon
cutting Oct. 31 to commemorate the transfer at the Classic Jet Center at
the airport.
“I think this is an exciting day,” said Mark
Rantala, executive director of the Lake County Port and Economic
Development Authority. “We are going to try to operate it as an
effective business attraction tool for Lake County and support the
business of Lake County who surround the airport and benefit from air
service at their front door.”
The transfer was official Oct. 8
and moved the ownership from the city of Willoughby to Lake County and
the Lake County Port and Economic Development Authority, a transaction
that took eight years and was approved by the Federal Aviation
Administration.
“The optimal course of action was for the
authority to take over the airport from the city of Willoughby with the
county as our cosponsor, and we would manage it as a self-supporting
entity,” said Harry Allen, chairman of the Lake County Port and Economic
Development Authority Board. “That is our goal and job at hand, and it
is a big one but we are excited.”
The airport currently has 115 employees, and Allen said he hopes to add another 100 jobs in two years.
“I
think that is a realistic goal,” he said. “At the same time, we have
taken out all of the doubt for those people who are current lease
holders, and there are many, who didn’t know what the future would be,
so that solidifies their planning and enable them to consider new
investment in their existing facilities and possibly new facilities.”
All three Lake County Commissioners were at the event to show support for the transfer.
“I’m
a firm believer that government doesn’t create jobs, but I think
government’s role is to make sure the proper infrastructure, property
amenities and proper services are in place that will make business take
off ... and I think that is what we have done here,” Commissioner Daniel
Troy said at the event. “We didn’t really have any interest in getting
into the airport business as a county, but there were a lot of people
that felt this was a very important part of our economic infrastructure
to maintain the presence of an airport in Lake County.”
He said the transfer will encourage investment in the property and the property surrounding the airport.
“I
think by doing this today, we have made Lake County a little bit
better,” Troy said. “This is a great day for Lake County because it will
improve our economy and I think that is what we are all doing in
partnership here.”
Willoughby Mayor David Anderson said at the event that it was a “surreal moment” for him.
“I
don’t feel like I am withdrawing Willoughby from the airport,” he said.
“We know Willoughby is going to be a big part of the future as is the
city of Mentor, and we are going to be true partners here, Willoughby,
Mentor and Lake County, in making this the very best airport it can be.”
- Source: http://www.news-herald.com
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment