### U.S.Departmentof Transportation Office ofthe

### Secretary of

### Transportation



### The Honorable SuzanneAtwell Mayor ofSarasota Sarasota City Commission Office 1565 First Street Sarasota, FL 34243 DearMayor Atwell: • ·+i**~** ., ' 

# JUL 520t2 1200 NewJersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590



### Thank you for your letter supporting the proposal submitted by the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport for a grant under the U.S. Department ofTransportation's Small Community Air Service Development Program. The SmallCommunity Air Service Development Program was established to help smaller communities address air service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares or insufficient service. Under the statute, the Department may make a maximum of40 grant awards each year, although no .more than4 awards may be to communities inthe same State. In orderto provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility in the types ofprojects that can be funded. On May 15, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in receiving a grant this year file their applications by June 11. As these grant requests are pending before the Department, I cannot comment on the merits ofany particularproposal. I assure you that the Department will give full and fair consideration to all proposals that have been properly filed. As is ournormal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and this response in Docket DOT-OST-2012-0069 as a contact outside the record ofthis matter. I appreciate your interest in this program. · Sincerely yours,

# ~~% Aloha Ley Associate Director Small Community Program



# ........ 

# ------------ . .. .·,June 19,2012 Ms. Aloha Ley Office ofAviation Analysis 1200 NewJersey Ave., SE, W86-3IO Washington, DC 20590 Re: Small Community Air Service Development Program Docket DOT-OST-2012-0069 Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ)
:nearMs,.Ley: ,._



### I am writing as Mayor ofthe City ofSarasota to express my strong support for the above referenced grant application to the Small Community Air Service Development Program. The recent decision by Southwest Airlines to pull AirTran service from SRQ is 

### a major blow to the air service and economic competitiveness of the entire region served by Sarasota Bradenton International Airport. AirTran accounted for over 360,000 passengers or nearly 30% ofall passenger traffic at SRQin2Dll. .·•.,.>·. !l·.,·>:;t_.



### ,

# .. : 

## .. ·: Sarasota Bradenton also suffers from a lack ofaccess to 

### a westbound airline gatewily. This forces local consumers to drive

. to other airports, thereby inflicting economicdamage on the local**econo~y**..

A 1997 EcenQmic 

### Impact**S~udy** completed as part ofthe SRQ Master Plan Update revealed that 57% ofall enplariements at SRQ were ot:t**ofar·~<t** 'isitorg spending an average of$665.00 p<,!r visit. Using the CY 2011 AirTran passenger traffic this equates t'J 102,690 v!sitors 

### to the SRQ area. 

### Vfhen combined with the 100,000 passengers lost due to no westbound service this equates t:> a !ossof(!VCf $.105;000,000 ofdirect visitor expenditures annually. When the multiplier effect is factored in it equates to a loss ofnec.:-ly**$~85,C•OO,?OO** ofeconomic impact and 2,600jQbs**.~o** the area. :he community is partnering with the airport 

### to match the grant funds dollar for dollar on this critical matter. We ask the Dcprtment consider the serious negative effects the recen; app.-oval provided to Southwest Airlines to acquire AirTran**Airway~>** has had on ourcommunity and approve the application for assistance. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely,

Mayor Cc: 

## .. ' The Horionble Ray H: LaHood •' · · ' '**~eqetary** 

### ofTransp-ortation United State'S Department ofTranspcrtation 1200**New.J~~rseyAven4e,** S.E. Washingtaa.,,.DC 20590 · ,_,.

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### ·'' ''**Sa1a~~ma** City Cornrr.iss;0il**Of~ke** 1565 First Street. Sarasota. Fl. :-f236 Tdephc·m:: 941.-954-41!5
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