Touts Aviation Tenants, Military, And Flight School

Why Battle Creek? We have great airport infrastructure, resources and partnerships surrounding our W.K. Kellogg Airport. That's the message in a new video that was shown for the first time at the Battle Creek City Commission meeting Tuesday night.

The five-minute video promotes aviation tenants, like Duncan Aviation; the airport's large military component, including the 110th Attack Wing Air National Guard and Army National Guard bases, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps presence; Western Michigan University’s School of Aviation; and more.
 
“We have a lot of things you wouldn’t expect to find in a city this size,” the city’s Assistant City Manager for Community and Economic Development, Ted Dearing, says in the video.
 
The video is one initiative in a new marketing program, which is a result of the 2014 agreement between the city and the University of Michigan Institute for Research on Labor, Employment and the Economy’s Defense Manufacturing Assistance Program (DMAP).
 
Marketing and promotion is one way DMAP “reinvigorates communities impacted by defense downsizing by engaging in activities that lead to economic stability and growth.” Battle Creek has seen impacts from a funding reduction to the Air National Guard Base.
 
A $25,000 grant is funding the marketing program, which will include a printed publication that includes recommendations for both aeronautical and non-aeronautical development.
 
“This is just the beginning,” said Transportation Director Larry Bowron. “We are reintroducing the airport and reinvigorating the way we market it to the community and beyond.”
 
The video was created by La Dolce Video & Design, based in Marquette. It features representatives from across the community, including Duncan Aviation, WMU, Battle Creek Unlimited and the 110th Attack Wing.

(Source: City of Battle Creek news release. Image from YouTube video)

FMI: Full Video https://youtu.be/D-4yc941YTs.