"Phoenix joins Williams Gateway Airport Authority"

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Phoenix joins Williams Gateway Airport Authority  
By Art Martori
The East Valley (AZ) Tribune 


The Williams Gateway Airport Authority voted to add Phoenix to its
membership Monday, formalizing an emerging partnership with Phoenix Sky
Harbor International Airport. 
 
Board members voted 3-1 to add Phoenix to the authority that oversees
Williams Gateway Airport. Mesa, the Gila River Indian Community and Queen
Creek all voted in favor of adding Phoenix as a partner, with only Gilbert
voting against. 

Williams Gateway is expected to relieve some of the burden on Sky Harbor,
the seventh busiest passenger airport in the U.S. It also improves the
financial situation at the smaller Mesa airport. The approval of Phoenix's
membership secures a $5 million initial contribution and an additional $1.3
million annually. David Krietor, the aviation director for Phoenix, said he
looks forward to a mutually beneficial relationship between Sky Harbor and
Williams Gateway, which has to date been mainly a cargo airport and in April
began its first passenger flights. 

"There's the recognition on our part that both airports need to be
successful," he said. "In the long-term, Sky Harbor really can't handle the
full load. (Williams Gateway) is in a good position to handle some of this
load." 

Gilbert Mayor Steven Berman, who represents the town on the airport board,
was the only one to vote against the bid to add Phoenix to the authority. He
said Phoenix was allowed to join after the existing members had already made
too large a contribution. 

"It doesn't make any sense to me," he said. "We took all the risk." 

He warned that Phoenix might use strong-arm tactics to push through its own
agenda - one that might not be best for the East Valley. 

"If they can't get their way, they're not shy about calling for a weighted
vote," Berman said of Phoenix using procedural tactics to gain an advantage.
"I'd just hate to see it happen to this board." 

However, if voting were weighted according to investment, Mesa would hold a
48 percent stake, Phoenix would have 16 percent and Gilbert would have 9
percent, according to projected totals. 

Mesa resident Richard Tracy told board members that adding Phoenix would be
like a successful business inviting a competitor into their boardroom. 

"I don't remember Ford being on the board of GM," he said. "They both
advanced because of competition." 

Maricopa County has expressed in writing an interest in joining the
authority. The Tempe City Council recently voted to submit a request to
become the sixth member, while Chandler is not expected to file a request by
the May 30 deadline, despite previously showing interest in membership. 

Williams Gateway Executive Director Lynn Kusy said Phoenix's involvement
would build credibility with potential investors. Government agencies such
as the Federal Aviation Administration might contribute millions of dollars
to improvement projects, if the airport proved it was financially reliable,
Kusy said. 

"I do expect we'll be able to gain considerable leverage with the FAA," Kusy
said.

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