But Shuttering The Facility Could Take Years

The City Council of Banning, CA voted last week to close its municipal airport (KBNG), saying there are better uses for the property on which the airport sits.

The vote on the council was 4-1, with Mayor Pro Tem Debbie Franklin casing the sole "no" vote, according to a report from the Press-Enterprise newspaper. "We haven't put anything into it" to attract more businesses, she said.

But Councilman Don Peterson called the airport an "albatross", and said there is development potential for the property. He said that an unnamed developer has offered to cover the $2.2 million it would cost to shutter the airport.

The council made the move in part due to a nearly 72 percent drop in operations at the airport, from 4,674 movements to 1,324 between 2010 and 2015, according to a report prepared by a consultant hired by the city last year. 

Public Works Director Art Vela said that the FAA has been part of what he called a "continuing conversation" about closing the airport. Closing an airport is normally a long, involved process that can take years.

The 154-acre site has potential for economic development, according to Mayor George Moyer. Those uses could include an industrial park or inland port, according to the report.

FMI: Original Report