Marks: Aspen airport improvements are essential
There exists a nontrivial possibility that the Roaring Fork Valley is in danger of losing commercial airline service at Aspen/Pitkin County Airport because of the runway’s condition, as well as the apparent collision course between Pitkin County and the Federal Aviation Administration over the ALP and discretionary federal funding necessary for continued airport operations and essential future improvements. The economic consequences of these issues are profound.
Visitors contribute more than $2 billion to our local economy. According to the US Federal Reserve, their contribution amounts to 63% of Pitkin County’s $3.2 billion GDP. Tourism supports nearly 14,000 jobs in the valley and generates more than $100 million in sales taxes.
Pitkin County’s airport is the single most important gateway for out-of-state visitors, who comprise 75% of all visitors. This makes ASE the most essential piece of economic infrastructure in the valley. Streamlined air travel, improved air services, and a modern commercial airline terminal are the crucial elements necessary to sustain our resort community.
More than 50% of the patrons of our visitor accommodations (i.e., hotels, condos, STRs, etc.), restaurants, retailers, and cultural institutions arrive by commercial airlines as opposed to only 1% by private planes. A prolonged shutdown of ASE would jeopardize our local economy and could cause revisiting the Pandemic’s 25%+ county-wide unemployment rate.
Sadly, there are now numerous potential catalysts that could precipitate an ASE shutdown: the runway’s possible structural failure, an FAA dispute resulting in its federalization, and a misguided referendum calling for ASE’s self-management that may cause airlines to reconsider commercial service until such new regime demonstrates a successful track record for safety and operations.
As the steward of ASE, the BOCC must act to adopt the Amended ALP that was recently approved by the County’s Airport Advisory Board by a vote of 6-to-1. Thereafter, the amended ALP must be promptly submitted to the FAA to head off any further acrimony and controversy.
Past BOCC members have gathered all of the necessary information to determine a prudent course of action regarding ASE’s future. Such studies were assisted by a diverse cross-section of experts and community leaders.
Unfortunately, the review process has taken too many years to complete and has finally pushed the FAA to its limits.
The length of this decision-making process has also stressed ASE’s physical assets to the breaking point (i.e., the deplorable condition of runway and commercial terminal), thereby potentially compromising the reliability of commercial air service and possibly the safety of passengers and airport employees. The FAA will no longer tolerate our indecision, especially where continued safety at ASE is concerned.
The current BOCC can delay no longer. It must promptly exercise leadership. In so doing, the BOCC must recognize the needs of the larger community in terms of economic and environmental sustainability as opposed to placating the cacophony of dissident voices who implore further delays, additional studies, and unproven self-help alternatives.
In addition, the BOCC must promptly task the appropriate staff members and legal authorities to conclude the FBO’s lease to Atlantic Aviation, whose $20 million per annum minimum lease payments will be indispensable to financing the construction of ASE’s desperately-needed new commercial airline terminal. Be aware that neither the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act nor the Transportation Infrastructure Finance Innovation Act are likely to provide 100% of eligible project costs.
Typically, funded costs equate to much less than 50% of total project requirements. Consequently, the county’s income stream from the new FBO lease will be essential to finance ASE’s replacement commercial airline terminal.
Evan Marks and his wife Janice are full-time residents at Aspen Highlands. Evan is a member of the county’s financial advisory board.
