Turnpike Authority backs Great Plains Airline hub proposal

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority took preliminary steps Monday toward financing an aviation hub in Tulsa. <br><br>The authority unanimously approved two letters of intent to finance

Monday, November 25th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority took preliminary steps Monday toward financing an aviation hub in Tulsa.

The authority unanimously approved two letters of intent to finance the acquisition, construction and operation of an aviation hub at Tulsa International Airport to be leased by Great Plains Airlines Holding Co. The hub would include hangars and equipment needed by the airline as it tries to expand service.

``This measure would provide an opportunity for our state to have an airline hub that provides nonstop coast-to-coast travel,'' said Albert C. Kelly Jr., OTA vice chairman.

Fred J. Hall, OTA chairman, called the approval a watershed event for Oklahoma transportation.

``It represents the first opportunity for us to really look into evolving our scope to resemble that of the New York Port Authority, which constructed the Twin Towers and many other facilities in the state of New York,'' he said.

Great Plains Airlines flies 32-passenger jets out of Tulsa and Oklahoma City; Albuquerque, N.M.; Nashville, Tenn.; and Colorado Springs, Colo., with connecting flights to Taos, N.M. The company plans to expand to offer nonstop service to cities on the East and West coasts.

It has applied for federal loan guarantees to help the expansion. State leaders have said lack of nonstop service hinders Oklahoma's economic development plans.