Grant to fund marketing for Cape Girardeau Regional Airport

Cape Girardeau City Council members Monday night, Oct. 2, approved an ordinance authorizing the city manager to execute a grant agreement with the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission to fund air service promotion and marketing at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport (CGI).

The funding from this block grant agreement will fund 90% of marketing efforts for improvement and promotion of the scheduled passenger air service at the airport. The funds will be used for airline service promotion/marketing in an effort to increase passenger enplanements.

In 2019, the airport reached more than 10,000 enplanements for the first time in more than 20 years, which upgraded CGI to primary airport status and made it eligible for $1 million in grant funds. City officials aim to use the marketing funds to return enplanements to 2019 levels.

"We are really trying to roll out our campaign to get that Fly CGI name out there and also talk about all the things that are happening at the airport: not just airline service, but the professional pilot programs that we have at the airport, our FBO (Fixed Based Operator) and all the different services that we provide," said Katrina Amos, airport manager. The grant funds total $105,000, with the city required to match 10%, or $11,666, making the total available funds $116,666.

The 10% required match will be funded by the airport's normal advertisement budget and there is no additional cost to the city, Amos said.

Councilman Nate Thomas voted abstaining because of financial conflict of interest.

Council members also read and approved other ordinances for the first time. The group decided to:

• approve a record plat for a one-lot commercial subdivision at 1510 and 1512 Independence St.;
• grant a special-use permit to VB Run LLC for the purposes of constructing, maintaining and operating a telecommunication tower at 1351 S. West End Blvd. The developer aims to demolish the existing single carrier tower and build a new structure with the capacity for three carriers. A public hearing was held on this item;
• vacate the city's interest in the north half of a 15-foot easement along the rear property line at 2183 Derbyshire Lane in Wyandotte Acres subdivision;
• authorize the mayor to execute special warranty deeds to Rhodes Development Co. LLC and Six-Thirty Inc. for excess Southern Expressway right of way at 1930 Southern Expressway and 2078 Southern Expressway, respectively.

In other action, council recognized Randy Lueder for retirement from the Parks and Recreation Department after 35 years of service as the golf course supervisor.