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Augus t 27 , 201 0

Th e Honorabl e Ra y I.aHoo d Secretary o f

Transportatio n U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 40 0 7 * Street , S W Washingto n D C 2059 0 Dea r Secretary LaHood : A s presiden t

an dCE O fo r

th e Economi c Developmen t Coalitio n o f

Southwes t

Indian a- afour

county regiona l economi c organizatio n - w e ar e constantl y speakin g wit h busines s leader s abou t

th e leve l o f

ai r servic e availabl e fromEvansville , Indiana . Thoug h w e hav e goo dacces s t o man y airlin e hubs , ther e ar e afew gap s i n ai r servic e whic h i f

filledwoul dhel p ou r

region' s econom y t o gro w Th e Evansvill e Regiona l Airpor t play s ake y rol e i n connectin g southwes t Indiana , northwes t

Kentucky an dsoutheaste r

Illinoi s t o th e res t

o f th e nation . Bu t

Evansvill e Regional Airpor t ha s bee n saddle dwit

h hig h averag e airfare s whic h ha s suppresse dtrave l an dforce dbusinesse s t o loo k elsewher e whe n thinkin g abou t expansion . I n th e Great

Lake s region , Evansvill e Regional Airport ha s th e highes t

averag e fare s - averagin g $22 5 eac h wa y o r

$45 0 roun dtrip . Evansvill e i s th e singl e mos t expensiv e medium-size dmarke t in whic h t o fl

y i n o r ou t i n th e entir e Great

Lake s region ; and , unfortunately , th e situatio n coul dge t wors e thi s comin g Fall . Followin g it s merge r

wit h Northwes t

Airlines , Delt aAi r

Line s ha s announce di t

wil l leav e th e Evansville-Memphi s market . Thi s los s o f seat s wil l compoun dth e far e pressur e i n th e Evansvill e marke t withou t amechanis mt o brin g lowe r fare s t o th e region . Low-far e leade r

AirTran ha s expresse dinteres t i n servin g Evansville , but i n orde r fo r AirTra n t o tak e a risk i n launchin g ne w servic e t o abran dne w city i n th e curren t economi c environment , i t wil l requir e arevenu e guarante e t o offse t

potentia l losse s durin g th e start u p phase . It i s ou r hop e that i f th e AirTra n can b e entice dt o provid e ne w servic e t o th e eas t coas t the y wil l conside r ai r servic e t o othe r

market s a s well . Fo r

example , Toyot aMoto r

Manufacturin g Indian aserve s a s th e "mothe r plant* ' fo r

Toyot aMoto r

Manufacturin g Texa s i n San Antonio , Toyot aMoto r Manufacturin g Indian a employ s 4,10 0 worker s i n Southwes t Indian awit

h anothe r 2,00 0 employee s a t

th e ne w San Antoni o facility . Th e "mothe r

plant " manufacturin g support syste mcall s fo

r significan t

trave l betwee n th e tw o facilitie s an d eithe r direc t flights t o San Antoni o fh> mEvansvill e o r

additiona l connectin g flights throug h southern bu b citie s suc h a s Dallas , Housto n o r Memphi s woul dfacilitate future growth .

Evansvill e Regiona l Airpor t - Smal l Communit yAi rServic e Developmen t Gran t - Augus t 201 0 

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# u/. ,

Othe r citie s critical t o th e region' s busines. s secto r includ e Chicag o (Midway) , St . Louis , Clevelan dan d Ne w Yor k City . Global businesse s suc h a. s Bristo l Myer s Squib , Mea dJohnso n Nutritionals , SABI C Innovativ e Plastics , America n General Financ e an dAlco aar e dependen t upo n goo dai r

acces s i f the y ar e t o compet e in th e ever-changin g global market . Th e economi c futur

e o f southwes t

Indiana , southeastern Illinoi s an dnorthwes t Kentuck y i s greatl y dependen t upo n ou r ability t o gro w th e transportatio n infrastructure , an dimprove dai r servic e a t Evansvill e Regional Airport

woul db e supporte db y th e region' s businesses . It i s fo r tha t reaso n tha

t I endors e th e Evansvill e Regiona l Airport' s applicatio n for thi s importan t

grant , an dawai t

afavorabl e decisio n fromth e U , S , Departmen t

o f Transportation . Sincerely , 

# )X- -

_tgor y Wathen , AP

R Presiden t & CF. O

Evansvill e Regiona l Airpor t ~ Smal l Communit yAi rServic e Developmen t Gran t - Augus t 201 0 

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