08/19/04 Daigle/Recommendation to Build New AirportIN
Glacier Park International Airport
August 19, 2004
Dear Mayor Kennedy and City Council Members:
Chris Kukulski requested in June that the Airport Authority review taking over
ownership, operations and management of the Kalispell City Airport. The Authority
Board requested that I review and provide a synopsis of available data by the August
Board meeting. The Board reviewed the data and options that had been listed in previous
documents plus reviewed options that were not previously identified.
For several reasons the Authority would like to provide a different recommendation then
has been previously identified. The Authority recognizes the economic impact an airport
has and specifically the direct economic impact the airport has on the City of Kalispell,
more specifically the south side of the city.
The option chosen by the Board was to relocate the current airport approximately 2-3
miles south and east of the current location, along Highway 93. The sale of land at the
existing airport could assist in paying for the building of the new facility and assist in
treating some of the current leaseholders fairly with respect to relocation costs. The new
airport could still be named Kalispell City Airport. The tremendous growth of the city
southward will place the new airport on or in the city's limits in a very short time.
Again, the recommendation of the board is to propose beginning negotiations for the
transfer if the city agrees that the airport at its current location be closed and a new
facility be built south and east of its current location along highway 93. In actuality a
new one would be built prior to closing the existing facility.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at any time.
Sincerely,
Michael A. D igle
Airport Director
Airport Authority Board
Fred Leistiko
Flathead Municipal Airport Authority
4170 Hwy. 2 East • Kalispell, MT 59901 • Phone (406) 257-5994