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City, CAF strike a deal for hotel/motel funds - Mywesttexas.com: Top Stories
The City Council will fund this year's AirSho after the Commemorative Air Force officially agreed Friday not to diminish its Midland presence.
The CAF, which announced in May its intention to relocate the organization's headquarters to a larger metropolitan area, will use the $50,000 in hotel and motel tax revenue to advertise the Oct. 12-13 event starting next week, said CAF Airpower Museum Director Autumn Vest.
"We were pleased when Mayor Perry and Councilman Dufford came to the table with requests that ensured our continued museum and AirSho performance," said Stephan Brown, CAF president and CEO, in a prepared statement.
A Tuesday vote by City Council gave Mayor Wes Perry the power to negotiate the agreement, which requires the CAF to hold its annual AirSho, maintain the CAF museum, allow the local High Sky Wing to operate the complex, accept payment of $710,650 in state funds by reimbursement instead of one lump sum and exhibit the B-29 Superfortress "FiFi" in Midland three times a year.
Both Perry and Scott Dufford, councilman at large, called the agreement a "win-win" for all parties involved.
Negotiations started early this week with a Tuesday briefing session, City Council meeting and private talks between the parties involved. Parties hammered out a nearly final agreement that evening, and the CAF secured funding Friday after agreeing to the terms.
Although not part of the official agreement, Brown offered to return part of CAF's property at Midland International Airport, which it leases from the city for $1 a year, for "benefit of the city and aviation airplane owners here looking for hangar space."
The CAF in August narrowed its list of potential locations to six airports in three Texas metropolitan areas. An upcoming vote by member-volunteers authorizes the board, which voted in April, to make a final selection, according to the CAF.
Member-volunteers must request an absentee ballot by Oct. 6 or vote in person during the general membership meeting at AirSho.
The City Council will fund this year's AirSho after the Commemorative Air Force officially agreed Friday not to diminish its Midland presence.
The CAF, which announced in May its intention to relocate the organization's headquarters to a larger metropolitan area, will use the $50,000 in hotel and motel tax revenue to advertise the Oct. 12-13 event starting next week, said CAF Airpower Museum Director Autumn Vest.
"We were pleased when Mayor Perry and Councilman Dufford came to the table with requests that ensured our continued museum and AirSho performance," said Stephan Brown, CAF president and CEO, in a prepared statement.
A Tuesday vote by City Council gave Mayor Wes Perry the power to negotiate the agreement, which requires the CAF to hold its annual AirSho, maintain the CAF museum, allow the local High Sky Wing to operate the complex, accept payment of $710,650 in state funds by reimbursement instead of one lump sum and exhibit the B-29 Superfortress "FiFi" in Midland three times a year.
Both Perry and Scott Dufford, councilman at large, called the agreement a "win-win" for all parties involved.
Negotiations started early this week with a Tuesday briefing session, City Council meeting and private talks between the parties involved. Parties hammered out a nearly final agreement that evening, and the CAF secured funding Friday after agreeing to the terms.
Although not part of the official agreement, Brown offered to return part of CAF's property at Midland International Airport, which it leases from the city for $1 a year, for "benefit of the city and aviation airplane owners here looking for hangar space."
The CAF in August narrowed its list of potential locations to six airports in three Texas metropolitan areas. An upcoming vote by member-volunteers authorizes the board, which voted in April, to make a final selection, according to the CAF.
Member-volunteers must request an absentee ballot by Oct. 6 or vote in person during the general membership meeting at AirSho.
