South Shore Air Show Moved Out Of The City For 2014

The Mayor of Hammond, IN is none too happy about the planned move of the South Shore Air Show from his city to Fair Oaks Farms 46 miles to the south for 2014, and has vocally opposed the measure in traditional and social media.

Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. said the move is a "travesty" during a radio interview and on his Facebook page, according to a report on GaryCommunity.com. 

According to South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority President Speros Batistatos, the decision to move the airshow was based on air space restrictions around Chicago's Midway International Airport, as well as practical considerations for hosting an event that draws up to 250,000 people.

McDermott said that Lake County (IN) taxes should not be used to promote an event that will take place at a location that straddles Newton and Jasper counties. He and Whiting, IN Mayor Joseph Stahura had both offered their lakefronts as a new venue after Gary, IN Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson said the city could no longer afford to support the event.

But Batistatos said that the air show box in Hammond and Whiting is "in the middle of the approach to Runway 21 at Midway."

He said he made inquiries with the FAA about a waiver, but was turned down. He also said that federal aviation regulations prohibit low-flying jets over the heavily-populated areas that make up much of the county, and "military jets are what sell air shows."

FMI: www.southshorecva.com/airshow