Ogden approves $108,000 to promote airport, Allegiant Travel

Aug. 03--OGDEN -- With commercial flights scheduled to take off in September, the city is giving the Ogden-Hinckley Airport a little boost.

Earlier this week the city council voted to amend the city's Outdoor Recreation Company Assistance Pro- gram to allow money from the program to be pushed to the airport and the Allegiant Travel Company, who on Sept. 20 will begin commercial jet service between Ogden and Phoenix, twice a week.

Specifically, the city will take $108,000 from its Business Promotion/ Direct Marketing ac- count and use it to provide matching funds for cooperative advertising between the city and Allegiant.

"We felt that it was very important that our market area is aware we are offering commercial air flights," said Tom Christopulos, Ogden's director of community and economic development.

The ORCA program began in 2008 to recruit and provide assistance to outdoor companies moving to Ogden.

Under the new proposal, the name of the ORCA program will be changed to the Relocation Assis-

tance Program.

Christopulos said with a relatively short timeline to promote the new flights, the ORCA program change was the easiest path for the city to get the money.

"Based on us trying to be ready for September flights, this was our most available source of capital," he said.

Christopulos said using city money to promote Allegiant and the commercial flights will ultimately benefit Ogden.

"We look at it obviously from a tourism standpoint, but also from an economic development standpoint," he said. "We will create a direct gateway into the city of Ogden and potential companies will be able to fly directly here."

Ogden-Hinckley Air- port Manager Royal Eccles said the airport expects to attract travelers from a market area of more than 700,000 people.

The planes Allegiant will use to fly out of Ogden will be MD-83s, which have a maximum passenger capacity of 166.

The new service to Phoe- nix will feature fares starting at $69.99 for a one-way ticket.

Copyright 2012 - Standard-Examiner, Ogden, Utah