Salt Lake City Officials Renew Commitment to Second Airport

Posted on Mon, Mar. 22, 2004 
 
Salt Lake City Officials Renew Commitment to Second
Airport

By Joe Baird, The Salt Lake Tribune Knight
Ridder/Tribune Business News


Mar. 22 - Except for its many users, Salt Lake Airport
No. 2 is usually an afterthought in the Wasatch
Front's aviation scheme, tucked away as it is among
the suburban rooftops of the Salt Lake Valley's
western side.

In fact, Salt Lake City -- the airport's owner --
thought so little of the general aviation strip a few
years ago that it considered declaring it surplus and
handing it over to West Jordan.

But that was then. West Jordan officials were rebuffed
recently by Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson when
they sought to revive the deal. Tim Campbell,
executive director of Salt Lake City's Department of
Airports, now says he and Anderson are not only
committed to keeping No. 2, but making it profitable
as well.

"After we looked at the situation more closely, we
decided we'd be better off hanging onto it," Campbell
says. "We've also indicated to West Jordan that we're
interested in working with them on land-use issues
around the airport -- particularly the land on the
east side that's vacant and undeveloped."

West Jordan officials have grown frustrated in recent
years by what they perceive as Salt Lake City's lack
of investment in the airport. They regard No. 2 as a
potential draw for businesses and individuals seeking
close airport access for their company and private
jets. For West Jordan, that translates into new tax
revenue streams.

"We'd love to be able to do some development there,
and we'd like to see [Salt Lake City] put up a little
more funding in terms of building hangars and other
facilities," says West Jordan Mayor Bryan Holladay.
"Of course, they're going to favor the big airport
[Salt Lake City International] with most of their
budget dollars, but we would like to see them do a
little more with this airport." Advertisement

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Campbell says Salt Lake City has pledged to make
Airport No. 2 a break-even operation, then move
forward. "The deficit is only $30,000 now, so we're
getting close," he says. "Our emphasis is to work
together with [West Jordan] to do what's best for
their city and what's best for the airport, and my
sense is they feel the same way."

Holladay agrees, though he says he will continue to
lobby for more West Jordan input on Airport No. 2,
perhaps by gaining a seat on the Department of
Airports Advisory Board.

"If they think they can make the airport profitable,
we say go for it," says the West Jordan mayor. "We
don't think our goals are inconsistent."

 

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