LAKELAND, Fla. — If it all works out, it may not be long before passenger planes are taking off and landing in Polk County.
Polk Commissioners appear ready to pony up about a million dollars to attract a commercial airliner to Lakeland Linder Airport.
Squeezed between Tampa and Orlando, Lakeland Linder Airport already sees its share of small plane traffic. But with NOAA hurricane hunters – and soon Amazon – rolling down the runway, there's a big push to bring a commercial airline to the tarmac.
It just makes sense, say residents like commercial realtor Jim Steinbauer.
“With all the businesses moving into Lakeland and distribution and other companies an Amazon, Publix headquartered here,” said Steinbauer.
Lots of people say they like the idea, which could make it far more convenient for those looking to get out of town or come into town.
“I’d already be in Lakeland, he wouldn’t have to go that far. Yes. I think it would be a great idea,” said Kay Laws, who visits the area with her husband every three years or so.
And of course, businesses like hotels restaurants are already seeing dollar signs.
“Well, you’d have more people staying,” said Trish Rasmusson, who operates the Silver Ring restaurant in downtown Lakeland. “And they could come downtown or wherever in Lakeland.”
Polk County commissioners like the idea too.
After seeing a presentation on Monday, most members of the board seemed ready to pledge a million dollars in tourism taxes to a fund which would be used to attract a major airline like American or Delta which would bring in commuter jets linking Lakeland to a hub city like Charlotte or Atlanta.
The idea is to raise somewhere between $3.5 million and $5 million to be used as a backstop, which proponents describe as a pool of funds that whichever airline moved here could dip into if needed to avoid losing money on the deal for the first year or two.
The rest of the cash would come from the City of Lakeland, which has already committed a million dollars, and other $750,000 from a US Department of Transportation grant, and about a million dollars more from a group of private businesses.
Sounds great, right? Not necessarily, if you ask neighbors like Hector Aguilera, who live right in the airport’s flight path. He and his neighbors worry about pollution that could come with commercial airline traffic. Both soot and sound.
“It could be a good thing, it could be a bad thing,” said Aguilera. “It would just be a lot louder, and stuff like that. So. We’ll have to see,” he said.
Aguilera and others will likely have a chance to share their opinions when the issue comes up for public comment. Commissioners are expected to tackle the topic no earlier than their next meeting December 17. If it all eventually works out they like to see Lakeland Linder become the Bay Area’s next aviation option by June 2021.
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