Phoenix Provider Aircraft Corporation Close To Operating At MidAmerica Airport
Plans To Operate Small Cargo Airline
AVMATS On Verge Of Locating At MidAmerica Airport
Wants Three Hangars At The Airport
BELLEVILLE, IL (July 2, 2001) -- Developer Lester Petty said Friday that Phoenix Provider Aircraft Corporation is neariy ready to make arrangements for setting up shop at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport.
"We're very close," he said. Petty, president of Lester J. Petty & Associate and consultant on the Phoenix Provider project, said the company has identified an investor and an underwriter who could help the company's operation at MidAmerica take flight, but he could not name them. Petty also said the company is in negotiations to acquire two airplanes.
Phoenix Provider plans on operating a small cargo airline that will contract with large cargo companies like United Parcel Service. The company also will run an aircraft maintenance business at the airport. Phoenix Provider could eventually create as many as 270 jobs at the airport.
Last June, the St. Clair County Board voted to issue $53,140,892 in bonds for the Phoenix Provider operation, which will cost $100 million. Company leaders said they, and not the county, will be responsible for paying the bonds back.
When the county agreed to issue the bonds, company leaders said they wanted to be operating at the airport this summer. But they have been unable to find the financing they need.
Terry Beach, director of economic development for St. Clair County, said Friday that Petty told him last week the company was close to being ready to locate at the airport. He said the county hopes Phoenix Provider will be operating there. "We're still interested in having than operate at the airport," he said.
AVMATS On Verge Of Locating At MidAmerica Airport
Aviation Material and Technical Support, or AVMATS, a Missouri company, is on the verge of locating at MidAmerica Airport.
Rick Hargrove, the airport's director, said company officials will make their third visit to the airport today, which he said is encouraging. Harglove also said he is drafting a lease fot AVMATS and negotiations will begin once he is done.
"I think everything is going fine," said Hargrove about making arrangements for AVMATS to operate at the airport.
AVMATS is headquartered in Chesterfield, Missouri, and offers maintenance service for corporate aircraft, and sells and leases airplanes.
In June, the county voted to approve a preliminary inducement resolution for AVMATS, which is essentially a statement of intent by both parties to make the deal happen.
Eventually, the company wants to have three hangars at the airport, but initially plans on building a 12,500-square-foot hangar with 2,500 square feet of office space.
Other News: Surface Technologies
The county also voted in June to give Surface Technologies more time to find financing
for buildings it wants to build at the airport. The company plans on building two hangars large enough to strip paint from military and civilian aircraft and repainting them.
Other News: S.L. Enterprises
Hargrove and county officials say they continue to pursue various aviation businesses for the airport and are getting help from S.L. Enterprises, an O'Fallon company. In April, the St. Clair County Public Building Commission voted to approve a finder's agreement with the company, which will try and steer companies to the airport.
David Hursey, leader of the company, was unavailable for comment Friday. But Hargrove said Hursey has told him he is talking to companies about the airport, but Hargrove doesn't know who they are.
Information provided by the Belleville News-Democrat
David Van Den Berg Article © Belleville News-Democrat
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