Chris Curry, airport director at GaryChicago Airport, is aiming to secure a commitment from a scheduled carrier to begin operations at the Indiana airport at Network 2010.
He's feeling more hopeful now than ever before of putting the city's third airport on the map as negotiations are coming to a close about relocating some railways near to the airport that will enable a runway extension.
"It has been a 9-year communication and now we are in final stages of the draft agreement with the railroads to relocate. Then we can go ahead with the $100 million project to divert the railroads and extend the runway," said Curry.
"The timeline is: we are open for business right now and we only go up from here. In addition there is a very real possibility of a high-speed rail connection between Gary and the City of Chicago.
"Our message to airlines is get in now, get in at a very reasonable operational cost. There is no-one better than the first carrier. They have a chance to really corner a particular part of the market."
GaryChicago has FAA funding of $57.8 million already approved. The airport current supports a variety of cargo, business aviation and military flying.
"We are looking for a carrier at this conference that will come in and prove what we already know - that a third airport is needed and can be supported in the Chicago land region."
Read another story from Network 2010 about Colombia's AIRES read.
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