Three new flight to two new destinations will only provide more passengers and traffic at and around Columbia Regional Airport, Mayor Gene Rhorer said on Monday.

Columbia Mayor Brian Treece and United Airlines spokesmen were on hand for the announcement that United will begin a daily flight to Denver International Airport and twic-daily flights to Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

Treece said at a news conference in Columbia on Monday morning that the airport was a “catalyst” for Columbia’s economy.

Mayor Rhorer would agree completely – except he might replace “Columbia” with “Ashland and Southern Boone County.”

“I think this will bring more activity and more growth to the airport area,” Rhorer said, “and all of these thing create the perfect opportunity for Ashland and the development at the airport owned by Larry Potterfield.”

Potterfield’s development, Hummingbird Properties, is currently preparing to connect infrastructure to the Ashland sewer system as well as preparing for widening state Highway H to create a turning lane into the development.

~ Read more in today’s Journal ~

By Bruce Wallace