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## 2010OC I- UP2 : 5 U Augus t 23 , 201 0 Th e Honorabl e Ra

yLaHoo d Secretary U
. S
. Departmen t o fTransportatio n 40 0 7t h Street , SWRoo m 1020 0 Washington , DC 2059 0 SecretaryLaHood : O n behal fo n th e Centra l Florid a Developmen t Counci l o fPol k County , Florid a w e ar e ver yplease d t o offe rou rsuppor t fo r Lakelan d Unde rRegiona l Airport' s gran t applicatio n fo rth e Departmen t o fTransportation' s Smal l Communit y Ai rServic e Developmen t Program
. A s th e Pol k

County' s lea d agenc yfo rbot h economi cdevelopmen t an d touris m & sport s marketing , w e suppor t th e Airport' s goa l o fattractin g lo wfar e commercia l servic e t o th e region
. W e believ e suc h servic e t o Lakelan d Linde rwil l serv e as a catalys t t o furthe rspu reconomi cgrowth , attrac t ne wvisitor s an d improv e th e qualit yo flif e option s fo rth e citizen s i n ou rcommunity
. Experienc e I n simila rcommunitie s acros s th e countr y ha s show n th e presenc e o fa lo wfar e carrie rplay s a pivota l rol e i n th e growt h o fth e hos t cit yan d county . Bot h th e Cit yo fLakelan d an d th e Florid a Departmen t o fTransportatio n ("FOOT" ) hav e recognize d th e importanc e o fth e airpor t t o th e region
. Th e Cit yI s investin g mor e tha n $1.4 M o n infrastructur e project s t o prepar e fo rcommercia l service
. Additionally , th e Cit yprovide s polic e an d fir e service s a t n o cos t t o th e airport , savin g mor e tha n $450,00 0 annuall yfro m th e rat e bas e whic h carrier s woul d otherwis e hav e t o pay . FOO Ti n Augus t 201 0 grante d th e airpor t $ 2 millio n t o fun d th e improvement s necessaryt o accommodat e schedule d fligh t operations ; thesi s includ e ticketin g areas , baggag e claim , baggag e make-u p areas , steril e areas , th e securit ycheckpoint , acces s controls , additiona l facilit ysquar e footage , an d office s fo rT.S.A
. Lakelan d Linde rRegiona l Airpor t currentl yoperate s unde ra Part 13 9 Certificat e an d i s completin g it s wor k wit h T.S.A
. an d wil l b e i n a positio n t o launc h it s commercia l progra m i n th e beginnin g o f2011
. Lo wfar e servic e t o Lakelan d woul d no t onl ybenefi t ou rregion , bu t als o th e smal l communitie s wher e th e flight s wil l operate , providin g thos e citie s wit h th e economi cbenefi t o fstimulate d ai rtrave l an d lowe rairfares
. Th e fund s fro m th e gran t wil l b e use d exclusivel ya t non-primar yairports , wher e lo wfar e carrier s ca n capitaliz e o n th e lowe rinfrastructur e cost s t o permi t lowe rfare s fo r passengers . Lakelan d i s Ideall ysituate d betwee n th e metr o Orland o an d Tamp a ba yregion s wit h convenien t acces s t o th e Pol k Parkway , 1- 4 an d th e futur e hig h spee d rai l syste m connectin g Tamp a an d Orland o i n 2015
. Thi s transportatio n connectivit ywil l enabl e eas yacces s t o an d fro m th e Airpor t wit h groun d transportatio n alternative s availabl e t o mov e passenger s withi n Pol k County , o rneighborin g Hillsboroug h an d Orang e County
. Lakelan d i s les s tha n a n hou rfro m Tamp a an d th e majo r attraction s i n Orland o suc h as Disne yWorld
. Marketin g mone yfro m th e gran t wil l no t onl yb e use d t o rais e awarenes s abou t eas yacces s fro m Lakelan d t o Orland o an d Tampa ; bu t als o t o establis h Pol k Count yas a convenien t an d affordabl e plac e t o sta yfo rtourist s wantin g t o tak e advantag e

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. •.'•.'IO(.ur.-H i itiiii!'^; ! i •j fFo'i Kcoufjry , rioninA , I- / [i:iiri(iMii , iifVfincr.u'j r« niuiiisHf , spniusMAUKtiiiif i « > SMA U (iiiMriFssnivfini'MHi i ccjfi ; o fbot h destinations
. Thi s wil l driv e significan t hotel , renta l car , restaurant , an d attractio n revenu e fo rth e region
. Lastly , Centra l Florida' s Pol k Count yha s bee n on e o fth e hardes t hi t area s durin g thi s recessio n an d continue s t o struggl e wit h hig h unemploymen t rate s an d declinin g propert yvalues
. Th e economi cbenefi t tha t th e ne wAi rServic e woul d generat e woul d no t onl ybenefi t thi s Count yan d Region , bu t als o t o th e Stat e throug h adde d touris t an d busines s travel
. Th e Centra l Florid a Developmen t Counci l o fPol k Count yfull yendorse s an d request s you rapprova l o fLakelan d Linde r Regiona l Airport' s gran t applicatio n fo rth e Departmen t o fTransportation' s Smal l Communit yAi rServic e Developmen t Program
. Sincerely ,
Rodne yL
. Carso n Directo ro fEconomi cDevelopmen t

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