Delta Air Seeks $5.9 Million Loan To Renovate Call Center

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Delta Air Lines wants a $5.9 million forgivable government loan to refurbish a call center in northern Minnesota that was mostly built with government money in the first place.

Delta's loan application says the call center in Chisholm employs 418 people. It says the renovation would add 107 more.

The loans are handled by a state agency called the Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Board. Commissioner Tony Sertich says the new loan is expected to be forgivable, too, as long as Delta meets job targets.

Northwest Airlines built the call center with a $9.7 million loan from the board in 1994. Of that, $1 million was repaid and the rest was forgiven. Delta Air Lines Inc. bought Northwest in 2008.

The new loan is scheduled to be considered Thursday.