AIRLINES, INDUSTRY INTERESTED IN AIRPORT

Two commuter airlines are considering a move to Cape Girardeau to compete with Trans World Express.

Greg Chenoweth, manager of Cape Girardeau Regional Airport, told city councilmen Friday that Lone Star Airlines in Dallas and Northwest Airlink may start running flights from Cape Girardeau to St. Louis. The City Council was on a retreat Friday at Black Forest.

TWE is the only commuter airline linking Cape Girardeau with Lambert International in St. Louis.

Northwest Airlink operated flights in Cape Girardeau in the 1980s, when three airlines shared about 15,500 enplanements -- or passengers -- yearly. The airport saw only 8,000 enplanements in 1995. The goal is 10,000, which would qualify the airport for up to $450,000 in federal entitlement money.

Chenoweth mentioned an industrial prospect, too. He declined to name the company but said it was a "high-tech facility that wants to locate near the airport and would employ 200 people."The interest of such a company might attract grant money for infrastructure improvements, Chenoweth said."We have a huge potential out there," he said. "There are thousands of acres waiting to be developed. The trend in industry is to locate closer to airports because time is money, as they say."Councilman Richard Eggimann said it seemed representatives from several industries have looked at Cape Girardeau, went home and then never returned. That's a common trend, City Manager Mike Miller explained."It doesn't have much to do with the community," Miller said. "The key is to talk to as many as you can."Chenoweth said he expected news on the two airlines and the industry soon.