COUNCIL CONSIDERS CLOSING REGIONAL AIRPORT RESTAURANT

Two Cape Girardeau city councilmen say the airport restaurant is a money loser and should be grounded permanently.

Both Councilmen Richard Eggimann and Tom Neumeyer said the $122,000 budgeted for operation of the Runway Restaurant & Lounge for fiscal 1996 could be put to better use.

The budget projects restaurant income of $72,000. Councilmen say that projection appears overly optimistic. Even at that, the city would have to subsidize the restaurant operation by $50,000.

Final approval of the budget is on Monday's council agenda.

Eggimann said he will propose closing the restaurant and putting the savings into the sewer fund.

He said the budget commits $122,000 to operating the restaurant, whether or not projected sales occur.

The same money could be committed to sewer operations instead, eliminating the need for a 5 percent hike in sewer charges, he maintained.

According to the city staff, the fee hike would result in $114,000 in added revenue to meet sewer expenses.

But Neumeyer said the money saved from closing the airport restaurant might be better spent on paying flood costs.

The money also could be earmarked for operation of the airport tower should the federal government cease to fund it, Neumeyer suggested.

The sewer fund is an enterprise fund. As such, it is meant to be self-supporting. Neumeyer said the city might go further into the red if it doesn't raise sewer charges.

But Neumeyer believes the majority of councilmen favor closing the airport restaurant.

The city has lost money since it began operating the restaurant in the renovated airport terminal in mid-August.

Through April 30, the restaurant had lost $68,000 over a nine-month period, Eggimann said.

The city advertised for bids this spring in an attempt to find a private operator to run the restaurant.

"We had no bids, and we had nobody interested, so you know it is a losing proposition," Eggimann said. "People don't use restaurants in airports unless they are traveling nationally."

Eggimann said the city could replace the restaurant with food and beverage vending machines.

But Airport Manager Greg Chenoweth said that the restaurant still gets a good lunch crowd.

Business could pick up, particularly if Nash Road industry employees begin eating there, he said.

Cape Girardeau is in the running for an aircraft plant adjacent to the airport, which would employ about 150 people.

Chenoweth said the plant could boost business at the airport restaurant.

He said the restaurant makes the airport more attractive as a stop for general aviation pilots. "I think it is a tool to bring in more traffic, more pilots."