Tulsa city council's investigation of Great Plains Airlines and the Tulsa International Airport

Tulsa city councilors wrap up another investigation of Great Plains Airlines that blames the whole deal on bad legal advice front the airport's attorney. <br/><br/>News on 6 reporter Emory Bryan says

Friday, November 19th 2004, 10:45 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa city councilors wrap up another investigation of Great Plains Airlines that blames the whole deal on bad legal advice front the airport's attorney.

News on 6 reporter Emory Bryan says the city council went over the investigation Thursday night at a meeting, but it went late, almost 11 o'clock by the time it was done. They don't want to the public to overlook what was uncovered. It focused on the deal that created Great Plains Airlines.

The airline was created with a bank loan backed by city property - a violation of federal policy against subsidies to airlines. Great Plains went bankrupt and the bank wants the collateral, but the city hasn't handed it over.

One revelation of the investigation was the list of initial investors - headed by Tulsa World publishing which put $700-thousand in Great Plains. The other investors were people with political influence and one councilor thinks it was such a conflict of interest that the whole deal smacks of racketeering.

The results of this new investigation have been sent on to the feds to see what they make of it.

The city council investigation cost Tulsa taxpayers $60,000.

A copy of that report is available on the city councilâ€™s web site www.tulsacouncil.org.