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Bristol council approves $75,000 to help recruit airline service to Tri Cities Airport
Summary
The Bristol City Council unanimously approved a resolution March 31 committing $75,000 over two years to regional recruitment efforts for additional airline service at Tri Cities Airport; funds will be held until needed and disbursement requires city manager approval.
The Bristol City Council on March 31 unanimously approved a resolution committing $75,000 over a two-year period to regional efforts to recruit additional airline service at Tri Cities Airport.
Council members said the contribution is intended to support economic development and tourism in the city and the surrounding region. The resolution states the funds would be part of a minimum revenue guarantee fund, described in the resolution as $2,000,000, to help attract a new airline by covering potential startup losses during an initial period typically lasting up to two years.
Randy (staff member), who presented the item, summarized the measure as a regional contribution, saying “it’s my recommendation that we support this resolution.” The resolution text presented at the meeting describes the payment as a contribution to recruitment efforts, authorizes execution of necessary agreements, and expresses the council’s intent to appropriate funds as needed.
The resolution specifies that the $75,000 commitment would come from general fund revenues and that the city would hold the money until disbursement is required. It also requires that the city manager review and approve any documents or agreements before releasing funds.
Council members voiced support for the recruitment effort and for broader benefits to local tourism and businesses including the Hard Rock facility. Councilman Osborne said he has flown out of Tri Cities frequently in the past year and described expanded routes as a “big deal” for travel and tourism, naming conferences, Rhythm and Roots and other attractions as potential beneficiaries.
The resolution passed on a recorded roll call with votes recorded as: Farnam — yes; Holmes — yes; Osborne — yes; Pollard — yes; Nave — yes. The council did not identify a specific airline or destination; the resolution notes that airline and destination remain to be determined. The city manager must review terms of any proposed agreement before any payment.
Next steps described at the meeting include continued regional recruitment efforts, coordination with other airport owners and private partners to assemble the $2,000,000 minimum-revenue-guarantee fund if necessary, and staff-level review of any contractual terms prior to disbursement. No further details about timelines or a named carrier were provided.
