St. Cloud Airport Awarded Air Service Development Grant

St. Cloud Regional Airport

ST. CLOUD — Efforts to attract an airline to St. Cloud Regional Airport just got a big shot in the arm.

The Federal Aviation Administration has awarded St. Cloud Airport a $750,000 Small Community Air Service Development Grant.

Airport Director Bill Towle says they will match that with $250,000 locally to create a contingency fund for any airline willing to commit to regularly scheduled flights.

He says they still have to raise about $100,000 of that contingency fund.

They will use the money to offset any potential losses incurred during start-up of air service here.

Towle says with the economic uncertainty facing airlines, this type of loss mitigation money is required to attract an air carrier.