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# ^LAKELAN D 

# mann^^ , , ^ ^ ^ ^ GOWB . FIELDS , Mayo r Augus t 27 , 201 0

The Honorabl e Ra

y LaHood Secretar y U . S . Departmen

t o f Transportatio n 40 0 7t h Street , SW Roo

m1020 0 Washington , D

C 2059 0 Secretar y LaHood ; A s Mayo r o f th e Cit y o f Lakeland , I highly endors e Lakelan d Linde r Regiona l Airport' s gran t applicatio n fo

r th e Departmen

t o f Transportation' s Smal

l Communit

y Ai r Servic e Developmen

t Program . The Cit

y o f Lakeland share s th

e Airport' s goa

l o f attractin g lo

w far e commercia

l servic e t o the region t

o foste r economi c growt

h an d improv e qualit

y o f lif e option s fo r th e citizen s i

n ou r community . The presenc e o f alo w far e carrie r woul d pla y a pivota l rol e i n ou r futur e growth . Bot h th e Cit y o f Lakelan d an d the Florid aDepartmen

t o f Transportatio n (FOOT ) have recognize d th

e importanc e o f

th e airpor t t o the region . The Cit

y i s investin g ove

r $1.4 M o n infrastructur

e project s t o prepar

e fo r commercia

l service . Additionally , the Cit y provide s polic e and fire service s a

t n o cos t t o th e airport , savin g ove

r $450,00 0 annuall

y fro mthe rat e base , whic h carrier s would otherwis e hav e t o pay . FDO T i

n Augus t 201 0 grante d the airpor

t $2.0 M t o fiin d th e improvement s necessar

y t o accommodat

e schedule d fligh

t operations ; thes e includ

e ticketin g areas , baggag e claim , baggag e make-u p areas , steril e areas , th

e securit y checkpoint , acces s controls , CCTV , additiona l facilit y squar e footage , an

d office s fo r T.S.A . Lakelan d Linde r Regiona l Airpor t currently operate s unde

r aPar t 13 9 Certificat

e an d upo n completio n o f

it s wor k wit h T.S.A. , wil

l b e i n apositio n t

o launc h it s commercia

l progra mi n th e beginnin g o

f 2011 . Lo w far e servic e t o Lakeland woul d no

t onl y benefi t ou r region , bu t als o t o the smal l communitie s wher

e th e flights wil

l operate , providin g thos e citie s wit h th e economi c benefi

t o f stimulate d air

trave l and lowe

r airfares . The funds fro

mthe gran

t wil l b e use d exclusively a

t non-primar

y airports , wher

e lo w far e carrier s ca

n capitaliz e o

n th e lowe r infrastructur

e cost s t o permi t lowe r fare s fo r passengers . Lakeland i s situate d betwee n Oriando an

d Tamp aan

d it s location b y Pol

k Parkway , 1-

4 an d proximit y t o th e futur e hig h spee d rai l syste mwil l enabl e eas y acces s t

o an d fro mth e Airpor t wit h ground transportatio n alternative s availabl e t o move the

mt o thei r final destinatio n within Pol

k County , o

r it s neighborin g Hillsboroug h an d Orang e County . Lakelan d i s les s tha

n a n hou r fro meithe r Tamp ao r fro mthe majo

r attraction s i

n Orlando 22 8 S . Massachusett s Avenu e • Lakeland , Florid a 33801-501 2

Phon e 863/834-600 0 • www.lakelandgov.ne tsuc h a s Disne y Worid . Marketin g mone y fro mthe gran

t wil l no t onl y b e used t

o rais e awarenes s abou

t eas y acces s fro

mLakeland t

o Orland o an

d Tampa ; but

als o t o establis h Pol k Count y a s aconveruen

t an d affordabl e plac e t

o sta y fo r tourist s wantin g t

o tak e advantag e o f

bot h destinations . Thi s wil

l driv e significan

t hotel , renta

l car , restaurant , an

d attractio n revenu e fo

r th e region . Centra l Florid aha s bee

n on e o f th e hardes t hi t area s durin g thi s recession , an d th e increase d traffi c tha t th e Ai r Servic e would brin g t

o ou r regio n would b e no

t onl y extremely beneficia

l t o thi s Region , bu

t als o t o th e Stat e through adde d touris t

an d busines s travel . W

e believ e strongly i n promoting Ai

r Servic e t o Lakeland Linde

r Regiona l Airpor t an d expec t th e economic , transportatio n an d qualit y o f lif e benefit s t

o b e importan

t t o th e recover

y o f the region . Th e Cit y o f Lakelan d full

y support s thi s grant

application , and I strongl y encourag e you r approva l o f the request . I

f yo u hav e any question s o

r nee d an y additiona

l information , pleas e do not

hesitat e t o contac t me . Kindes t regards . Field s Mayo r