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What is the Friends Organization? What is the mission of the Friends? What is the big advantage of the Gary/Chicago Airport? What are the other major advantages of the present facility? What is the plan for expansion? How will enlargement be financed and put in place? How else is the Airport going to attract national airlines? Is an airport really worth the investment? In
the end, will people fly out of What
is the Friends Organization? It has been incorporated as a 501
(C) 6 not-for-profit organization which enables us to support Gary/Chicago
Airport causes and to lobby our
elected officials. What
is the mission of the Friends? It’s singular and focused:
…..to advocate and promote the use and development of the
Gary/Chicago Airport as Chicago's third major airport. What
is the big advantage of the Gary/Chicago Airport? It’s hassle free – like
Midway used to be! The Gary/Chicago Airport facility
has already been identified as an important part of the solution to the
congestion problems at O’Hare and Midway. It can also be expanded at a
fraction of the cost of creating additional aviation capacity at other sites
currently being proposed by others.
What
are the other major advantages of the present facility? It is situated within a massive
Interstate highway and rail infrastructure, 25 miles from the What
is the plan for expansion? Lengthening the existing 7,000
foot runway to 8,900 feet and the existing 3,400 foot crosswind runway to
perhaps more than 10,000 feet. Also adding more terminals and perhaps the
development of an intermodal passenger and freight transportation facility. How
will enlargement be financed and put in place? Thanks to Senators Bayh and
Lugar, along with Congressman Visclosky, the Gary/Chicago Airport expansion has
been designated a priority and thus the Federal funding portion of the cost has
been approved. Local matches from Lake and Porter Counties have also been
approved with the creation of the Regional Development Authority. How
else is the Airport going to attract national airlines? The management has been in almost
daily negotiations with other airlines, especially those wishing to gain access
to the Greater Chicago market at substantial savings in gate fees and fuel
costs. A
recent report on Indiana
aviation confirmed that the Gary/Chicago facility is injecting $133 million
annually into the immediate region in the form of jobs, taxes and sales. This is
in the face of only $54 million invested over the last nine years. It is
estimated that Yes. Last year, with only partial
service in effect, over 60,000 passengers used Gary/Chicago. Join the Friends
and sign up for a $35 annual or a $100 lifetime membership.
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