Bensenville Commits to 3rd Airport

Bensenville Commits to 3rd Airport
Chicago Daily Herald, IL

Posted January 07, 2004 

Bensenville leaders say they moved one step closer to realizing a longtime 
dream Tuesday night when they unanimously signed off on their portion of an 
updated ordinance outlining the future of the proposed South suburban airport 
and its controlling commission. 

Park Forest has already signed off on the ordinance, leaving only Elk Grove 
Village and University Park to approve the new language, said village attorney 
Gerald Gorski. Together, the four communities are known as the founding fathers 
of the South Suburban Airport Commission. Twenty-five other communities want to 
join as well.

In coming months, the commission hopes to award to one of two new bidders who 
have submitted proposals a contract to finance, build and operate a one-runway 
airport to open in 2008 in Peotone.

Members estimate the airport, which would be the country's first new airport 
since Denver International Airport was completed in 1995, can be built for 
hundreds of millions of dollars less than the $600 million state estimate 
because it would have only five gates, rather than the 12 to 15 proposed by the 
state. The airlines would share the gates rather than an airline having 
exclusive use of the gates.

Village Manager Jim Johnson said language in the new ordinance outlines the 
planning, development and operation of the airport but specifically states 
Bensenville will leave the commission after the airport is "up and running in 
four years." Johnson said it also outlines exactly how commission-member 
communities will be repaid the more than $1.2 million they have spent upfront 
on start-up costs plus interest.

"This document, when signed by all four charter members of the commission, will 
be a piece of history," Johnson said Tuesday. "This project, in conjunction 
with the O'Hare Modernization Plan, will almost immediately change aviation and 
travel for years to come."


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