ROCKFORD, IL-The Rockford Area Economic Development Council has launched a full-scale effort to attract an 85,000-square-foot flying school to the city’s airport. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is choosing between this city, Houston and Los Angeles for its third campus, at a reported $35 million cost.
The council has made attracting the school its number one priority, including creating a special Web site, a petition drive, and lobbying politicians and local community leaders. The Winnebago County Board will consider a resolution today to give $25,000 from its landfill revenue to the council for the effort.
The university, which began in Cincinnati but is now based in Daytona Beach, FL is considered the country’s most prestigious flight school. The school is the leading producer of air traffic controllers and US Air Force cadets. Besides Florida, the school has another campus in Prescott, AZ.
In a letter to university president John Johnson, US Sen. Dick Durbin, D-IL, said Illinois has spent millions to upgrade and promote the airport, making it the nation’s 19th largest cargo airport. “Embry-Riddle is educating our nation’s next generation of pilots and aerospace professionals, but your university does not yet have a presence. Rockford is the best place for you to expand,” Durbin said in the letter, published on his Web page.
The economic council includes the petition drive in email and on the Web, and said the petitions are due Oct. 1. The petitions will be delivered personally to Johnson.
In a statement about the effort, the council said a new Embry-Riddle campus would include 1,000 students to start. Buildings needed include a 62,400-square-foot administration building, 20,000-square-foot school and a 5,000-square foot hangar, with an additional requirement for residence halls.
The council said it will make a presentation to the school administration in mid-October, which includes the petition presentation. The school trustees are expected to vote on selection of the new campus in mid-November. Embry-Riddle officials could not be reached for comment.
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