"Illinois airport raises funds for passenger service"

Tuesday, June 17, 2003

Airport raises funds for passenger service
By CHUCK SWEENY
The Rockford (IL)  Register Star


ROCKFORD — Citizens, businesses and governments donated nearly $270,000 in
just 20 days as the Greater Rockford Airport exceeded an audacious campaign
to raise a quarter-million dollars to market air service to Orlando, Fla.,
and Las Vegas.

As of 3 p.m. Monday, a day after the deadline, the airport had received
$269,687 —— a figure expected to rise.

“Money is still coming in,” airport Executive Director Bob O’Brien said.

He said that two airlines want to begin serving Rockford with flights to
Orlando, and later Las Vegas. O’Brien also revealed that he has talked with
two additional airlines interested in Rockford.

“A third airline wants to serve Las Vegas but not Orlando, and a fourth
wants to serve tourist destinations such as Cancun,” he said.

Neither O’Brien nor airport board chairman Nick Ancona will reveal the name
of the airlines; O’Brien called the top two suitors “A” and “B.”

Airline A would fly one flight daily, except Tuesdays, to Orlando on Boeing
727s, which seat 168 people. Airline B would fly one flight Friday through
Monday on DC-9s, which seat 110 people, O’Brien said.

Las Vegas service would start from 90 to 120 days after Orlando service. The
airport needs to fill 70 percent of the seats to be successful, O’Brien
said.

O’Brien said he met with the CEO of Airline A in Atlanta, Ga.

Atlanta is home to Delta, which is starting a low-fare spinoff, and the air
hub of AirTran, one of the pioneers of low-fare service. O’Brien said he
wants Greater Rockford to be known as the home of low-fare airlines.

He wouldn’t reveal anything about Airline B.

The ballyhoo surrounding Rockford’s fund-raising campaign — O’Brien stood on
the top of a gas station soliciting donations, for example, and staged a
rally at the airport last week — has caught the attention of the aviation
industry, he said.

Airlines are studying whether Rockford can be a viable alternative to O’Hare
International Airport for the 2.3 million people who live within 50 minutes
of Rockford’s airport.

Finding that alternative could be critical for airlines because O’Hare will
soon begin a $6 billion renovation expected to cause snarls in the air and
on the road for a decade or more.

“The pressure’s on us now, and we will deliver for Loves Park, Rockford,
Machesney Park and the region,” Ancona said.

“Take a deep breath, it’s a breath of fresh air,” Ancona said about the
prospect of passenger service returning, perhaps by the end of August.

Rockford is competing with airports in Lansing, Mich., Gary, Ind., Toledo,
Ohio, and other cities for service to Orlando and Las Vegas.

“It’s my understanding that Gary and Lansing have offered incentives in the
million-dollar range,” O’Brien said.

By contrast, Rockford is offering to spend $500,000 advertising the new
Rockford service; half from the airport and half raised by the community.
The airport also is offering free parking for air passengers and will waive
landing fees.

“The people from Airline A told us, ‘Wow, your campaign is impressive,’ ” O’
Brien said. “It adds strength to our discussions with the airlines by
showing that the community is really hungry for air service.”

The airport’s marketing effort will concentrate on the Rockford area and
four outlying regions: the Quad Cities; Madison, Wis.; the northwest Chicago
suburbs and Dubuque, Iowa.

O’Brien said the campaign will sell Greater Rockford Airport as a
“hassle-free, low-fare airport with free parking.”

About 4,500 individuals and 450 businesses contributed to the marketing
campaign. The city of Rockford gave $10,000; Loves Park donated $2,000;
Machesney Park gave $1,000. Winnebago County gave no money.

The city of Oregon sent $500; Byron gave $150. Forward Janesville, the
Wisconsin city’s economic development organization, will donate $3,800 worth
of promotional and advertising services, O’Brien said.

The Rockford Area Chamber of Commerce and Council of 100 are donating
$10,000 of in-kind services.

Rockford Mayor Doug Scott said the whirlwind fund-raising campaign unified
the community around a goal of bringing transportation and jobs to the area.

“You had people from every corner of the community, every job, walk of life,
all were excited about getting passenger air service back,” Scott said.

Airport officials believe the service will be successful because Orlando is
the No. 2 leisure destination and the No. 8 business destination for local
travelers, according to surveys.

Las Vegas is the No. 1 leisure destination and No. 2 business destination.

“I’m also interested in getting service to Phoenix. It’s our third leisure
destination,” O’Brien said. “We’re going to pick off cities on our list of
top destinations.”

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