The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“That might easily get the project to full funding.”
By Katherine Nettles
The Gunnison Valley Rural Transport Authority (RTA) reviewed the conceptual plan for the Gunnison/Crested Butte Regional Airport remodel with airport and county officials on January 10 and discussed the very real possibility that the RTA could help nudge the project over the finish line with key funding.
Gunnison County sustainable development coordinator John Cattles reviewed the concept plans for the RTA board, and county manager Matthew Birnie presented some ideas, as well as a history, of how the county can partner with the RTA on such a project.
The Federal Aviation Association (FAA) has given a pledge of a $2 million discovery grant, plus entitlement money of approximately $1 million that can be allocated several times over several years to the project. The total estimate of the entire project is between $10 million to $12 million, which represents a major decrease from the former architect’s plans, which were closer to $30 million.
“We can get not quite halfway to where we need to be to execute what’s presented, but we could do it in phases,” explained Cattles. He reviewed that the project would start with electrical systems, mechanical systems and a new roof, if the county cannot get to the full budget amount needed. “We are trying to figure out what [else] we’re going to bite off with this first phase,” he said.
Birnie acknowledged that phasing the remodel would of course add to its total cost, by the time various aspects of the building were interrupted in service for construction, and in some cases given only a temporary Band-Aid approach.
“We are trying to get it to something that is truly transformational without doing something that’s beyond reach,” said Cattles. The architectural firm under contract has characterized the project as modest.
Cattles said the project could be completed in 18 to 24 months if all funding comes in. In April he is applying to formalize the FAA money already pledged and for potentially more funding once they know the project’s local support.
“The FAA are extremely supportive of this project,” said airport manager Rick Lamport. “We get entitlements because we have more than 10,000 visitors. We are number two on the list for [new] terminals.”
On January 27, Lamport will get more information on a state-sponsored study of the past four to five years about how much economic impact the airport has annually on the Gunnison Valley. The former study in 2013, recalled Birnie, showed about $200 million, and excluded tourism.
The airport is asking the RTA to commit to $250,000 per year for 20 years, along with some other identified county funds. The county would also need to provide security on the loan by putting up a county asset.
“I think that would give the FAA more confidence to give us more too,” said Lamport. “That might easily get the project to full funding.” “We would need to structure some sort of security. There’s a lot to work though,” he said, but assured the board that he has talked to the county’s underwriters, and they said it’s all doable.
“It’s happened once in Colorado that someone reneged on their debt,” said Birnie, referring to the possibility that a future RTA board could elect to stop allocating the annual $250,000. “It’s a heightened risk profile, but I find it hard to believe that the folks elected to this board over time would go against that.”
RTA director Scott Truex said this allocation from the board would represent about 25 percent of the RTA’s air service portion of the budget. “It makes sense in our mission. It makes more sense than trying to expand the air service before we have the room,” he said. He offered to do a five to six-year projection of finances for the RTA.
“As I’m looking at this, I think its interesting to consider… It makes a lot of sense to get a project done quickly instead of interrupting user experience over 10 to 15 years,” said RTA board member John Messner.
RTA vice chairperson Jim Miles agreed. “Visting other airports, including Montrose, we’re not keeping up—and we need to keep up.”
RTA airline consultant Kent Myers encouraged the board to look hard at this, because other rural airports are stepping up in the last two years. “We will manage the air program and right-size it. We used to be real possessive of those funds, but we will be more cognizant of this need… I think this is a priority,” he said.
RTA chairperson Janet Farmer asked if anyone was not comfortable with the proposal, and heard no protests.
Board member Chris Haver asked Myers about the Air Command group and its ability to negotiate with airlines if they are committing these funds elsewhere. Myers responded that they negotiate based on performance, and the project would drastically enhance the airport’s performance.
“This would by definition make us a little more conservative in our approach to air for a while,” conceded Truex.
Lamport also said terminals nationwide have suffered from lack of updating, and everyone understands the importance. “You can have all the runways in the world, but if you don’t have a terminal… you don’t have a good user experience,” he said.
Truex asked RTA attorney Kathy Fogo if there would be anything in the board’s bylaws that would prevent the board from allocating the funds. She said upon initial analysis she doesn’t think it’s a problem.
“This terminal will likely be (carbon) net zero. It will be geothermal, and that’s another point that starts to align with a lot of goals for the county,” said Cattles.
Everyone in attendance was supportive, and the RTA board will discuss the funding proposal again at their February 28 meeting, possibly making a decision at that time.
