Two Air Events at Terre Haute Regional Airport Canceled

Two events slated to land at Terre Haute Regional Airport in July have been canceled due to uncertainties connected to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CAF Air Power History Tour, sponsored by Hoosier Aviation, had been set for July 22-26. The TBM Reunion and Salute to Veterans airshow was slated for July 24-26.

Both have been canceled.

"Due to a major loss in sponsorship funding this year and the fact that there just wasn’t enough time to put it all together," the event was canceled, Cary Miller, TBM committee chair, stated on the organization's web site.

"We thank Hoosier Aviation for their valiant effort...," Miller said.

That event, usually held annually in Peru, Illinois, was reset to Terre Haute th is year. It attracts about 10 historic Grumman TBM Avenger torpedo bombers.

Jeff Hauser, executive director of Terre Haute Regional Airport, said the CAF Air Power History Tour, was canceled "after talking to the (Vigo County) health department and (Vigo County Health Commissioner) Dr. (Darren) Brucken. ...(W)ithout knowing the numbers for attendance and what to expect, it was canceled, as well as the TBM Avengers."

"Unfortunately, it was just due not being able to know the numbers," Hauser said. The airport's board of directors will discuss the issue at its meeting on Wednesday, June 10.

Dave Patterson, executive director of the Terre Haute Convention and Visitors Bureau, brought the issue up at the bureau's board of directors meeting held Tuesday via a telephone conference call.

"There were some restrictions required (due to the pandemic) and some things that had to be done that the (event organizations) did not have the money or staff to do," Patterson told the board.

Revenue impacts

The pandemic has hit tourism as the year-to-date collection of innkeepers tax, used to sponsor events to attract visitors, as of May had collected more than $585,200, down from more than $877,500 year to date last year.

Patterson said if fall events can occur, the CVB should be "okay. We need the fall events to help weather the storm," he told the board.

No decisions have yet been made on large events such as NCAA cross country championships or high school all-star cross country events, Patterson said.

Those include the John McNichols Invitational and VCSC Middle School Championships in September, along with the IHSAA sectional championship, NIKE Valley Twilight and NCAA Pre-National Championships in October.

The county is slated to host the NCAA Division I Great Lakes Regional Championship and the NCAA Division III Championships in November.

"We are preceding like a normal year, but if the virus reinvigorates and comes back in the fall, there can be some changes," Patterson said.

Other business

In other business, the CVB approved $10,000 in sponsorship money for Special Olympics Indiana, although there will be no in-person Summer Games in Terre Haute this year.

The board also OK'd $5,000 for the Wabash Valley Football Coaches Association banquet/games slated for July 11, which are to be held at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center.

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