Tulsa City Council approves $31 million in notes to help finance airline

(Tulsa-AP) -- The Tulsa Industrial Authority will issue $31 million in notes to assist in the financing of Great Plains Airlines.

The City Council narrowly passed a resolution issuing the notes.

The company must meet a December 1st deadline to secure its financial plan.

The council approved the request by a seven-to-two vote. That narrowly secured the supermajority needed because the resolution included a waiver of competitive bidding.

Great Plains plans to offer direct flights from Tulsa to New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D-C.

Councilor Sam Roop says having this type of transportation is necessary infrastructure to a city in today's corporate world.

But councilors Clay Bird and Randi Miller voted against the resolution saying it's too risky.