S10-110cS08-()3 8 •:AKTIV;EN T O r --•-[OPERATiOX 3 Augus t 2 , 201 1 P U : 0 2

•M L CHAMBE R '•) ^ rOMMflRCi ; -. - SOUTHWES T INDIAN A i'h e Honorabl e Ra

y La i loo d Secretar y orTransportatio n U.S . Departmen

t o f Transportatio n 40 0 7" ' Street , SW. , Washingto n D C 2059 0 Dea r Secretar y L aHood : 1 a mwritin g t

o expres s m

y organization' s stron g suppor t fo r th e Evansvill e Regiona

l Airport' s Smal l Communit y Ai r Sen'ic c Developmen

t Gran t (SCASDG ) funding request . Th e Chambe

r o f Commerc e o f

Southwes t

Indian ai s th

e larges t busines s associatio n i

n the (ri-slat e regio n o f

Southwes t

Indiana , Northwes t

Kentucky , an

dSoutheas t

Illinois . Ou r Chambe r represent s th e need s andinterest s o f mor e tha n 1,60 0 membe r companies . The tri-stai c regio n i s a

n economi c powerhouse : ou r regio n ha s annua

l retai l sale s o f

$7. 4 billio n dollars , contain s 10,15 4 squar e mile s o f land , which make s i

t larger tha n nin e states , ha s apopulatio n o f

mor e tha n 822,000 , i s hom

e to si x U.S . Congressional districts , an dboast s more tha

n $2 4 billio n dollar s i

n persona l income . W

e are als o on e o f

th e mos t importan t manufacturin g center s i

n the nation . I n orde r t o vigorousl y compet e i

n th e globa

l marketplace , we nee dyour help . Th e Evansvill e Regiona

l Airpor t play s akey rol e i

n connectin g ou r

regio n to th e res t

o f th e nation , an dth e world . Bu

t fo r many years , our

airpor t ha s been saddle dwit

h high averag e ai r

fares . A s amatte r

o f fact , Evansvill e Regiona

l Airpor t ha s th e highes t averag e air

fare s i n IN , I L andKY , 40 % abov e the regiona l averag e A s o f

th e en do f the thir dquarter in 2010 , Evansville' s air

fare s average d$22 6 eac h way , and$45 2 per round trip . Additionally , becaus e we offe r n o STA RAllianc e partners , w e ofte n time s d o no t sho w u p o n the internationa

l ma p fo r ou r foreig n visitors . Everyone understand s ho w criticall y importan t a n airpor t i s t o developin g acommunity' s or region' s economy . Th e aforementione dcostly fare s seriousl y hamper ou r abilit y t o develop our

econom y an dcreate th e desirable , goo dpayin g job s ou r citizen s nee dan

d deserve . W

e hav e made grea

t progres s i n ou r regio n i n tcnn s o f layin g afoundatio n fo

r .successfull y competin g i

n th e globa

l economy . W

e have strengthene dou r

publi c schools , an dar e usin g our

publi c an dprivate universitie s an

dcollege s a s economi c catalyst s an d importan t partner s to improv e our

workforce . W

e have enhance dour

region' s overal l qualit y o f lif e througl i amyriado f

communit

y development

investments . W

e ar c upgradin g oiu

- other mean s o f movin g peopl e an

dmaterial , includin g commencin g th e constnictio n o f

Interstate 6 9 linkin g Evansvill e t o Indianapolis , andthe greate r north

sout h internationa

l trade corrido r

connectin g the Unite

dSlate s wit

h Canad aandMexico , an dmuc h more . Bu

t frankly , ou

r aiipor t remain s awea

k link . W e ar e losin g busines s an dpleasure traveler s t

o other airport s du e t

o cos t an davailabilit

y factors . An d companie s lookin g t

o establis h facilitie s i

n ou r region continuall y cit e th e cos t o f ai r

### S I 0- 1 10808-03 8

trave l ou t o f Evansville , an dth e lac k

o f connectivit

y t o othe r market s a s asignificant concern . Th e Evansvill e Regional Airpor t mus t ac t t o tmn g lower

fare s an dmor e option s t o th e region . Ou

r airpor t official s hav e bee n i n talk s wit h airline s withi n th e STA Rallianc e tha t upo n entr y t o ou r marke t woul dhel p brin g dow n fare s t o ou r region , bu t

als o hel p u s t o sho w u p o n th e internationa l map . I n orde r fo r aSta r Allianc e airlin e t o tak e aris k i n launchin g servic e t o ane w city in th e current economi c environment , i t wil l require a revenu e guarante e t o offset potential losse s durin g th e start-u p phase . Th e SCASD G woul dprovid e di e Evansvill e Regiona l Airpor t wit h th e see dcapital necessar y t o entic e a ne w carrie r

t o brin g ne w ai r

servic e t o ou r

market . Thank yo u for you r stron g consideratio n o f

th e Evansvill e Regional Airport' s SCASD G fundin g request . W e sincerel y hop e fo r afavorabl e decisio n fromth e Department o f Transportation , an dlook

forwar dt o partnerin g wit

h you o n improvin g m

r servic e t o ou r region , an dstrengthenin g ou r regiona l economy .

MatthewT . ^eador s President & CE O Th e Chamber

o f Commerc e o f

Southwes t

Indian a(CC S WIN ) Cc : Dou g Joest , Director , Evansvill e Regiona l Airpor t Eva n Beck , Inunediat e Pas t

Chairman , CC S WI

N Boardo f

Director s Jef f Deig , Chairman , CC S WI

N Boar do f Director s Kathy Briscoe , Chairman-elect , CCSWI N Boar do f Director s Gre g Wathen , President/CEO , Economi c Development Coalitio n o f

Southwes t

I N

### S I 0-110803-03 0 LA W OFFICE S O F 

## FIN E & HATFIEL D A rtVOFESSlONA L CJORTORATIO N 52 0 N . W . SECOND STREE T P . 0 . BO X 77 S EVANSVILLE, INDIAN

A +7705-077 B TELEPHON

E (812 ) 425-359 2 FA X (812 ) 421-426 9 i\ . LiNWOO D SHANNON , II I Einiiil : lils(3>finc'hacfield.co m Jul y 29 , 201 1 Th e Honorabl e Ra y LaHoo d Secretar y o f Transportatio n U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 40 0 T ^ Street , S.W. , Washington , D C 2059 0 Dea r Mr . LaHood , I a mwritin g t o shar e ray m

y suppor t fo r aSmal l Communit

y Ai r Servic e Developmen t

gran t applicatio n submitte db y th e Evansville-Vanderburg h Airport Authorit y District . A vibran t airport wit h goo dai r

servic e i s importan t

t o busines s an dcrucial t o th e health y grov^rt h o f th e local community . W e nee dmor e efficien t an dfrequen

t transportatio n i n an dou t o f th e community . In recen t years , the-airline s hav e scale dbac k servic e i n respons e t o th e recessio n whic h ha s mad e everyday busines s trave l ver y difficult . A s ou r

communit

y ha s take n avery proactiv e approac h t o doin g busines s internationally , w e ar e experiencin g fewe r an dfewer

flights i n an dou t o f Evansvill e whic h make s i t har dfo r internationa l visitor s t o com e t o ou r region . Th e lac k o f availabl e flights an dlimite dnumber o f carrier s ha s als o increase dlocal fare s t o th e poin t that peopl e ar e drivin g 2 t o 3 hour s on e wa y t o fly ou t

o f othe r airports . Thi s gran t wil l giv e ou r

airport managemen t

avaluabl e too l t o sel l ou r commvmit

y t o ne w airlines , particularl y withi n th e Sta r Allianc e s o tha

t w e wil l sho w u p o n th e internationa l map . Addin g ane w carrie r wil l als o resul t

i n bringin g fare s dow n t o amor e manageabl e leve l thu s stimulatin g th e local trave l market . I than k yo u for you r thoughtfu l consideratio n o f thi s worthwhil e request . Ver y truly yours , FIN E «S?>1ATFIEL D A PROFESSIQVJA

L CORPORATIO

N By : • " ' RLinwoo dShannon , II

I

### S I 0- 1 10808-03 9 Steve n A . Churc h |ii*»*»'"*BS| | Presiden t & CE O r*:!***! ! 270-827-1801 , ext . 781 3 'UIDD S 270-827-782 9 (Fax ) 'isfw c schurch@qlbbsdc.co m 36 9 Communit y Dr . Henderson , K

Y 4242 0 Augus t 2 . 201 1 Th e Honorabl e Ra

y LaHoo d Secretar y of Transportatio n U.S . DEPARTMEN T O F TRANSPORTATIO N 40 0 7 * Street . S.W . Washington , D C 2059 0 Dea rMr . LaHood : I a m writin g t o shar e m y suppor t fo ra Smal l Communit

y Ai rServic e Developmen t gran t applicatio n submitte d by th e Evansville-Vanderburg h Airpor t Authorit y District . A vibran t airpor t wit h qualit y ai rservic e i s importan t t o busines s an d crucia l t o th e health y growt h o f th e loca l community . Ou rcommunity ha s take n a mor e proactiv e approac h t o doin g busines s internationally . I n fact , a t Gibbs , w e hav e man y employee s (includin g me ) wh o trave l frequentl y t o ou r internationa l location s i n Brazil , China , Hungar y an d Korea . Unfortunately , du e to th e recession , severa l airline s hav e scale d bac k servic e makin g busines s trave l mor e difficult , particularl y i n ou rregion . A s a result , w e ar e experiencin g fewe rflight s i n an d ou t o f Ev£\nsville , makin g i t quit e difficul t fo rinternationa l visitor s t o trave l t o ou rregio n an d fo rGibb s employee s t o trave l abroad . Additionally , th e lac k o f availabl e flight s an d limite d numbe ro f carrier s hav e als o increase d loca l fare s t o th e poin t tha t w e ar e drivin g tw o t o thre e hours eac h way t o fl y ou t of othe rairports . Th e Smal l Community Ai rServic e Developmen t Gran t wil l giv e ou rairpor t managemen t a valuabl e too l t o sel l ou rcommunity t o ne w airiines , particulari y withi n th e Sta rAllianc e s o tha t w e wil l sho w u p o n th e internationa l map . Addin g a ne w carrie rwil l als o resul t i n bringin g fare s dovw i t o a mor e manageabl e leyel , thu s stimulatin g th e loca l trave l market . . . Than k yo u fo ryou rthoughtfu l consideratio n i n reviewin g th e gran t application . Sincerely , Steve n A . Churc h Presiden t & CEO /I'fiamptmv ! Princeto n Hampto n In n 10 7 S. Richlan d Cree k

Drive , Princeton , I N 4767 0 S10- 1 10804-01 6 tel : 812.385.240 0 fax:812.386.509 6

July 29 , 201 1 The Honorabl e Ra

y LaHoo d Secretar y o f Transportatio n U.S . Departmen

t o f Transportatio n 400 7 * Street , S.W. , Washington , DC 2059 0 Dea r Mr . LaHood , A s ou r to p gues t accoun t i s Toyot aMoto r

Manufacturin g Indiana , w e ar e experiencin g difficult

y fo r ou r Internationa l guest s fro mJapa n t o hav e transportatio n int o an dou t o f th e Evansville-Vanderburg h Airport . I a mwritin g t o share m

y m y suppor t fo r aSmall Communit

y Ai r Servic e Development gran t applicatio n submitte db y th e Evansville-Vanderburg h Airpor t Authorit y District . A vibrant airpor t wit h goo dai r servic e i s important

t o busines s andcrucial t o th e healthy growt h o f th e local community . We nee dmore efiScien t an dfrequen

t transportatio n i n andou t o f th e community . I n recent years , th e airline s hav e scale dbac k servic e i n respons e t o th e recessio n wliich ha s mad e everyda y busines s trave l ver

y difficult . A s our

communit

y ha s take n aver

y proactiv e approac h to doin g busines s internationally , w e ar e experiencin g fewe r an d fewer flight s i n an dou t

o f Evansvill e whic h make s i t har dfo r internationa l visitor s t o come t o ou r

region . Th e lac k

o f availabl e flights andlimite dnumber o f carrier s ha s als o increase dlocal fare s t o th e point tha t peopl e are drivin g 2 t o 3 hour s on e wa y to fl y out o f other airports . Thi s gran t wil l giv e our

airpor t managemen

t avaluabl e too l t o sel l our

communit

y t o ne w airlines , particularl y withi n th e Sta r Allianc e s o tha

t w e wil l sho w u p o n th e internationa l map . Addin g ane w carrier wil l als o resul t

i n bringin g fare s dow n t o amore manageabl e level thu s stimulatin g th e loca l trave l market . I than

k yo u fo r your thoughtfu l consideratio n o f

thi s worthwhil e request . Sincerely , Virgi l Rasche , Genera

l Manage r Dun n Hospitalit

y Group Princeto n Hampto n Inn 10 7 S . Richlan dCreek

Driv e 812-385-240 0 Virgil,Rasche@hilton.co m 

## H HHONOR S HILTO N WORlOvViO E fo rreservation s pleas e visi t u s a t hampton.co m o rcal l I.BOO.hampto n