.. \. ~--

US. Department of 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Transportation Washington, DC 20590 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

The Honorable-James L. Brown > . 

Mayor of Longboat Key 

Longboat Key, FL 34228-3196 

Dear Mayor Brown: 

JUL 5 2012 

.. 

; 

Thank you for your letter supporting the proposal submitted by the Sarasota Bradenton 

International Airport (or a grant unde,r the U.S. DepartmeiJ.tofTransportation's Small 

Community Air Service Development Program. · 

The Small Community 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 Oepartment may make a maximum of 40 grant 

awards each year, although no more than 4 awards may be to communities in the same State. 

In order to provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service 

deficiencies, the statute, provides flexibility in the types of projects that cari 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 of any particular proposal. I assure you that the 

Department will give full and fair consideration to all proposals that have been properly filed. 

As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-2012-0069 as a contact outside the record of this matter. I appreciate your interest in 

this program. 

X 1-120628-004 

Sincerely yours, 

~J\ C~o~l l'\~t.:}:>l/ l ~ 

AlohaLey Q 

Associate Director 

. Small Community Program 

. . :.... ~ ... 
. 

'. 

TOWN OF 

LONGBOAT KEY 

Incorporated Nore;;zber 14. 1955 

Ms. Aloha Ley 

Office of Aviation Analysis 

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE, W86-310 

Washington, DC 20590 

Re: Small Community Air Service Development Program 

Docket DOT-OST-2012-0069 

Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) 

Dear Ms. Ley: 

Town Hall 

50 I Bay Isles Road 

Longboat Key. Florida 34128-3196 

(941) 316-1999" 

SUNCOM 516-2760 

Fax (941) 316-1656 

\nvw.longboatkey.org 

I am writing as Mayor of the Town of Longboat Key, Florida to express our 

strohg · ·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% of all passenger traffic at SRQ in 2011. 

Sarasota Bradenton also suffers from a lack of access to a westbound airline 

· gateway. ·This forces local consumers ·to drive to other airports, thereby 

inflicting economic damage on the local economy .. 

A 1997 Economic Impact Study completed as part of the SRQ Master Plan 

Update revealed that 57% of all enplanements at SRQ were out of area 

visitors spending an average of $665.00 per visit. Using the CY 2011.AirTran 

passenger traffic this equates to 1 02,600 visitors to the SRQ area. When 

combined with the 100,000 passengers lost due to no westbound service this 

equates to a loss of over $105,000,000 of direct visitor expenditures annually. 

When the multiplier effect is factored in it equates to a loss of nearly 

$285,000,000 of economic impact and 2,600 jobs to the area. 

The community is partnering with the airport to match the grant funds dollar for 

dollar on this critical matter. We ask the Department consider the serious 

negative effects the recent approval provided to Southwest Airlines to acquire 

AirTran Airways has had on our community and approve the application for 

assistance. Thank you for your consideration. 

Sine rely, 

s L. Brown 

L.~l£11~ 

The Honorable Ray H. LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

United States Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. 

Washington, DC 20590