Willard Airport presents incentive plan to MTD

Jana Wiersema, The News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Ill.
Updated ·3 min read

Mar. 28—SAVOY — As in-person meetings with airlines approach, public entities have pledged a total of $660,000 in funding commitments for Willard Airport's effort to attract leisure service to new destinations.

Representatives from the airport met with the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District Board on Wednesday to discuss their minimum revenue guarantee project. No action was taken, but something likely will happen during the MTD board's next meeting, set for April 24.

The University of Illinois, which owns the airport, has offered a first-come, first-served minimum revenue guarantee of $500,000 for service to any airport in Florida or to Phoenix or Las Vegas.

The longer-term goal, Willard consultant Jack Penning told the MTD board Wednesday, is "to recruit multiple routes to this airport over a period of years."

And, of course, to "recruit beyond (sole current carrier) American (Airlines) to make sure this airport is sustainable," with a national pilot shortage Penning predicted will only worsen.

It's already taken a toll at other airports across the U.S., he said, with 131 of them losing a network carrier since 2000.

The short-term goal hasn't changed: Willard is hoping to raise a community match of $500,000 so that it can offer a total minimum revenue guarantee of at least $1 million.

Airport Executive Director Tim Bannon told The News-Gazette that the following entities have also decided to chip in so far:

* $75,000.

* $50,000.

* $20,000.

* $15,000.

Willard officials also have been talking about the project with the village of Rantoul and several private entities.

MTD board member and Willard advocate Alan Nudo proposed the agency go a step beyond other contributors with its financial commitment, adding to its first pledge an "ongoing, if needed, pledge."

"When the revenues drop, you need to build those reserves back up," he said.

Bannon said the university has committed that its funds will be used first ahead of the community match. If there are any community funds left over, they'd be returned, he said.

Airport officials have said in the past that the initial deadline to confirm support for the project is April 1. However, Bannon said this is flexible, and it is likely that conversations with the community will continue past that date.

Airport officials and consultants are in constant discussions with airlines, Bannon said, and the plan is to meet with airline representatives in person in May at a conference in Washington, D.C.

"I'm very hopeful," Bannon said. "I think we've had a lot of great participation so far from the public entities. A lot of people are stepping up to the table and contributing toward this effort. They see the value in having low-cost, leisure service here in our community. And I think that's been a big victory so far.

"So I look forward to future conversations even after that April 1 timeline. But I think we can get darn close, if not hit that million, with continued progress."