ST. CLOUD -- Efforts continue to attract an air carrier to St. Cloud Regional Airport.

Airport Director Bill Towle says they are partnering with the Greater St. Cloud Development Authority to collect data that will convince an airline to provide direct daily flights to and from Chicago's O'Hare Airport.

Towle says when they start talks with air carriers in the coming months, they will need to show evidence we can fill the airplanes. He also says it will be their job to market the air service to convince people to fly out of St. Cloud rather than drive to the Twin Cities.

Towle says they will use $1-million in seed money to guarantee an airline profit in the start-up period.

He says they hope to get an airline secured within six months and start air service by early 2013.

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