Congressman Alan Grayson (FL-09) will hold a press conference today, to highlight the impact of sequestration on Florida’s 9th Congressional District. Kissimmee Gateway is one of 189 air traffic control facilities slated to lose funding due to automatic budget cuts or sequestration, which took effect on March 1st.
In a February 26th letter to the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration, Grayson warned that closing Kissimmee Gateway Airport would be “devastating.” Kissimmee Gateway Airport employs 125 individuals in the 9th Congressional District and had 129,000 operations last year. The amount of traffic currently serviced by the airport ranks in the top ten-percent of all contract-controlled towers in the nation, and exceeds many towers that continue to be staffed by the FAA. The airport has an annual economic impact of nearly $100 million.
At today’s press conference Grayson will be joined by Kissimmee Mayor Jim Swan and other stakeholders.
WHAT: Press conference to discuss closure of Kissimmee Gateway Airport as a result of Sequestration
WHEN: TODAY, March 8, 2013 – 11:30 a.m. Eastern
WHERE: Kissimmee Gateway Airport’s Air Traffic Control Tower – 301 N Dyer Blvd, Kissimmee, FL
WHO:
· Congressman Alan Grayson
· Kissimmee Gateway Airport Director, Terry Lloyd
· Kissimmee Mayor Jim Swan
· Kissimmee City Manager Mike Steigerwald
· General Manager of Signature Flight Support, Darron Webb
· Lee Lauderback, Owner of Stallion 51 Corporation
· U.S. Representative for Italico Aviation, Sonny Buoncervello
· Other Kissimmee Gateway Airport Stakeholders
