Officials are hoping more companies show interest in studying the need for a new regional airport, and they will begin a second round of bidding for consulting firms today.
Members of the North Eastern Strategic Alliance airport committee voted Wednesday to request qualifications from consultants to do a feasibility study of the proposed Pee Dee transportation hub, which would be located in Horry, Georgetown, Marion, Dillon, Florence or Williamsburg County.
The study also will outline the 20-year aviation activity for the area and identify at least three potential sites where such an airport should be constructed to best serve the region. A cost analysis for construction at the sites as well as operation and maintenance is expected to be included in the study.
"This is an opportunity not only for a boom in transportation, but in job creation," said Horry County Councilman Marion Foxworth, who attended Wednesday's meeting. "This is an opportunity to look down the road and create a vision."
He said Horry County officials and businesses embrace the study, including the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.
NESA, a five-year-old group that represents Horry, Georgetown and eight other counties, received $200,000 from Horry County this budget year, and the county has indicated it will continue funding the group for two more years. NESA is based in Florence and promotes public and private partnerships in Horry, Georgetown, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Marion, Marlboro and Williamsburg counties.
Rep. Jim Battle, D-Nichols, recently was elected vice chairman.
Wednesday's request is the first step for officials to determine the need for a regional airport and what type of facility could meet those needs.
The study is expected to cost about $340,000, with NESA providing about $75,000 and the rest coming from local governments and a U.S. Department of Transportation grant.
"Is [the airport] practical, and should we do it?" Chairman Fred DuBard asked.
The same request was made in April, but only one firm submitted its qualifications for the work, which prompted officials to reopen the process with the hope that more firms will get involved. The new requests will be opened at 2 p.m. Jan. 20, and the top three firms will be interviewed before the final selection, DuBard said.
"The FAA has seen this and approved it," Horry County airport engineer Ken Hawk said.
Sen. Yancey McGill, D-Kingstree, said he hopes 50 to 100 people submit proposals for the study and that NESA members are committed to the idea.
"We realize this project will be a major economic project," McGill said. "It's not if we are going to build an airport, it's when. We all know better what we need in this region. This will be a successful project."
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