County of Lexjngton 

County Council 

212 South Lake Drive, Suite 601 

Lexington, Soutli Carolina 29072 

TELEPHONE: (803) 785-8103 FAX: (803) 785-8101 

James E. Kinard, Jr. 

District 1 

Chairman 

William C. Derrick 

District 2 

George H. Davis 

District 3 

Parliamentarian 

Debra B. Summers 

District 4 

Bobby C. Keisler 

District S 

Johnny W. Jeffcoat 

District 6 

John W. Carrigg, Jr. 

District 7 

William B. Banning, Sr. 

District 8 

Vice Chairman 

M. Todd Cullum 

District 9 

August 25, 2010 

Ms. Susan Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for Aviation & International Affairs, X-1 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE W88-324 

Washington, DC 20590 

en 

CO 

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Re: Small Community Air Service Development Grant Application 

Docket OST-2010-0124 

Columbia Metropolitan Airport - Columbia, SC 

Dear Ms. Kurland: 

It is my pleasure to inform you that Lexington County Council approved a 

$10,000 grant for the Columbia Metropolitan Airport to assist them with the 

match requirement for securing the Small Community Air Service Development 

Grant they are applying for. 

We look forward to hearing from you. 

James^. Kinard, Jr 

Chai 

Lexington County Counci" 

JEKjr/dwb 

cc: Members, Lexington County Council 

Dan Mann, Ex. Director, Columbia Metropolitan Airport 
P.O. Box ^77 

.^02 Columbia A\c 

Chapin. SC 2'-)0?>f^ 

111'lllli iliiluilPtUlllilillUlJiUli'^ :i );ii 

^ 

The Greater Chapin Chamber of Commerce 

& Visitors Center 

August 13, 2010 

Ms. Susan Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for Aviation & International Affairs, X-1 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave, SE W88-324 

Washington, DC 20590 

int"o(a chapinchamber.com 

www.chapinchamber.com 

Phone: (803) .M."^-!!00 

Fax:(803)345-0266 

C-5 

U J 

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i:x) 

CO 

Subject: Small Community Air Service Development Grant Application 

Docket OST-2010-0124 

Columbia Metropolitan Airport - Columbia, SC 

Dear Ms. Kurland: 

The Greater Chapin Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center strongly supports the air 

service proposal detailed in the Small Community Air Service Development Program 

grant application. Columbia Metropolitan Airport plays a crucial role in our area's 

economic development and quality of life, providing support to education, government, 

business, and tourism. 

Future community growth of the Columbia community depends, in part, on the airport's 

ability to meet the needs of existing local businesses as well as companies considering 

Columbia as a location for their operations. The proposal to support improved air service 

will greatly improve our ability to remain competitive in the global marketplace, which is 

the basis for supporting the local economy and attracting new businesses and residents to 

the area. 

The Columbia Metropolitan Airport has forged strong ties with the business community 

to retain and improve local air service. We appreciate the opportunity to expand that 

partnership to include the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Small 

Community Air Service Development Program. 

Sincerel}[, 

Roger Riemann, Chairman of the Board 

Greater Chapin Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center 
West Metro 

'^^PPARTMENTOF 

^NSPORT M 

C;<tT OPERMiONS 

GCT ! 3 A ^- OU 

Ms. Susan Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for Aviation & International Afl&irs, X-1 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave, SE W88-324 

Washington, DC 20590 

Subject: Small Community Air Service Development Grant Application 

Docket OST-2010-0124 

Columbia Metropolitan Airport - Columbia, SC 

Dear Ms. Kurland: 

On behalf of the West Metro Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center Board of Directors, we 

strongly support the air service proposal detailed in the Small Community Air Service 

Development Program grant ^plication. Air service at Columbia Metropolitan Airport plays a 

vital role in providing support to education, government, business, and leisure travel to/from the 

area. 

The proposal to support improved air service will greatly improve our ability to remain 

competitive in the global marketplace, which is the basis for supporting the local economy and 

attracting new businesses and residents to the area. Future growth of the Columbia/Midlands 

community depends, in part, on the airport's abiUty to meet the needs of existing local businesses 

as well as companies considering Columbia/Midlands as a location for their operations. 

The Columbia Metropolitan Airport has forged strong ties with the local business community to 

retain and improve air service. We appreciate the opportunity to expand that partnership to 

include the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Small Community Air Service 

Developpfl£)nt Program. 

President/CEO 

West Metro Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center 

1006 12* Street * Cayce, SC * 29033 

Cayce *. South Congaree Springdale West Columbia 
GREATER LEXINGTON CHAMBER 

AND VISITORS CENTER 

August 23, 2010 

Ms. Susan Kurland ''f ^njC^' 

Assistant Secretary for Aviation & International Affairs, X-1 '3 i^'^' ^ 

U.S. Department of Transportation -- ^^ ^ 

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE W88-324 ^ ^S ^ 

Washington, DC 20590 > 5^ ^ 

.0 goo 

Subject: Small Community Air Service Development Grant Application CD ^ 

Docket OST-2010-0124 ^^ 

Columbia Metropolitan Airport - Columbia, SC 

Dear Ms. Kurland: 

In reference to the letter dated August 15 (attached) about the application for the Small 

Community Air Service Development Grant and signed by the members of the Greater 

Lexington Chamber and Visitors Center Board of Directors, we are committing $5,000 to 

help build the local match necessary to receive the $750,000 grant. 

We look forward to hearing from you. 

SincerelVv/y/ 

iy Halfacre 

i'f esident and CEO 

cc: Dan Maim 

Columbia Metropolitan Airport 

Attachment 

Greater Lexington Chamber & Visitors Center •P.O. Box 44 • Lexington, South Carolina 29071 •(803)359-6113 •www.lexingtonsc.org 
GREATER LEXINGTON CHAMBER 

AND VISITORS CENTER 

August 18,2010 

Ms. Susan Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for Aviation & International Affairs, X-1 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave, SE W88-324 

Washington, DC 20590 

Subject: Small Community Air Service Development Grant Application 

Docket OST-2010-0124 

Columbia Metropolitan Airport - Columbia, SC 

Dear Ms. Kurland: 

The undersigned are the members of the Board of Directors of the Greater Lexington 

Chamber and Visitors Center, an organization of approximately 900 businesses located in 

Lexington County, South Carolina, which is one of the several counties in the area served 

by the Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE). For the following reasons, the Greater 

Lexington Chamber and Visitors Center and its membership strongly support the air 

service proposal detailed in the Small Community Air Service Development Program 

grant application. 

According to projections by the South Carolina Council of Governments, the population 

of Lexington County is estimated to increase by 209,078 additional residents by 2035— 

and increase of ahnost 97%~making it the fastest growing county in the Central 

Midlands Region of South Carolina. Together with the adjacent counties of Richland, 

Newberry and Fairfield, which are also in the immediate area served by CAE, the total 

population in the region is anticipated to increase by over 354,000 residents by 2035, or 

59%. This growth is fiieled in large part by the presence of many large national and 

international manufacturers located in the County, a rapidly growing major regional 

medical center, a thriving logistics industry resulting from the confluence of four 

interstate highways, proxunity to the 28,500 students University of South Carolina and 

other nearby colleges and universities, and Columbia, the state capital. Commercial air 

service at Columbia Metropolitan Airport has contributed greatly to this growth and 

continues to play a vital role in providing support to state and local government, business, 

education, health care delivery, and leisure travel to/from the area. 

Future grov^^h of Lexington County and the Central Midlands Region depends, in 

significant part, on the airport's ability to meet the needs of existing local businesses as 

well as companies considering relocation to the area. Improved air service is crucial to 

Greater Lexington Chamber & Visitors Center •P.O. Box 44 • Lexfngton, South Carolina 29071 •(803)359-6113 •www.lexingtonsc.org 
our ability to remain competitive in the global marketplace, supporting the local 

economy, and attracting new businesses and residents to the area. Presently, it is 

estimated that as a result of the loss of regular and adequate air service at CAE, several 

million dollars in revenue, including ticket revenue, attributable to travel from CAE is 

being diverted to Atlanta, Georgia (3 hours drive), Charlotte, North Carolina (2 hours 

drive), or airports in Greenville and Charleston, South Carolina, which have both recently 

attracted a major low-fare airline. This has a direct correlation to the loss of jobs, loss of 

tax revenue and ancillary services revenue, and an overall suppression of economic 

growth. Moreover, we believe that Lexington County is at risk of losing existing 

transportation logistics and cargo operations if local air service at CAE is not enhanced. 

Columbia Metropolitan Airport is crucial to continued economic development and 

sustained growth in Lexington County and we appreciate the partnership that has been 

developed between CAE, the business, manufacturing, government, health care and 

education commimities. We look forward to expanding that partnership to include the 

U.S. Department of Transportation through the Small Community Air Service 

Development Program. 

D. Glenn Martin 

Comporium 

Scott R. Adams 

Prysmian Cables and Systems USA, LLC 

Barbara Willm 

Lexington Medical Center 

Mike Flack 

Mike Flack Associates, LLC 

S)(lyia C. Backman 

Unicorn Printing Company, Inc. 

lary L. D^ese 

Edward Jones Investments 

Lm^ 

^^yt%^/lmJa^ ^ 

Bryan Dunlap 

Michelin North America, Inc. 

zard 

First Citizens Bank 

Brian Dodge 

Wal-Mart Stores Supercenter 

Robert Ferrell 

Wilbur Smith Associates 
Marilyn Gray' 

GMM Insurance 

<XL\ 

Del5res Logan 

AllCaregivers, IrTc 

T 

Radisson riference Center 

''iNCT^Hjr^^^ iAj>J-yi'^\^ 

Keith Thomason 

Edward Jones Investments 

fW^u^uuL 

Bank 

Tedjjy McGee 

McGee Real Estate 

7^^/. 

Wilhide 

tegions Bank