SAVED: Kissimmee Gateway Airport Control Tower Will Remain Open
Tower is One of Only 24 Facilities Spared
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Congressman Alan Grayson (FL-09) announced that the Kissimmee Gateway Airport will remain open, as decided by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today.
When the FAA released a list of facilities set to close due to sequestration, it included Kissimmee Gateway Airport’s control tower. Congressman Grayson immediately took action, meeting with airport stakeholders and advocating for the tower to remain open.
On February 26th, Grayson penned a letter to FAA officials, detailing the impact of the facility’s closure. He hand-delivered a copy of the letter to a White House official, ensuring that the letter would receive the Administration’s full consideration. Grayson also reached out to FAA Administrators and stakeholders on multiple occasions.
Grayson wrote a second letter to the FAA in March, highlighting the national impact of Kissimmee Gateway Airport’s closure. He also spoke directly with the official tasked with finalizing the closures, emphasizing the value of the facility and the need for continued operations.
A March 5th letter to Federal Contract Towers was accompanied by a list of 189 facilities slated for closure, stating that the FAA anticipated closing the “vast majority of these facilities.”
Despite these unfavorable odds, the FAA announced today that the Kissimmee Gateway Airport’s control tower would be spared.
“I am extremely pleased to see the FAA recognize the national importance of Kissimmee Gateway Airport in choosing to keep this facility open,” Grayson said. “Thanks to our work with airport stakeholders and the FAA, the control tower has been spared from devastating sequestration cuts. This facility will continue to serve the Greater Orlando area, 125 airport employees will keep their jobs, and Central Floridians can rest assured that their airspace is safe and secure.”
Congressman Alan Grayson represents Florida’s 9th Congressional District, which includes Osceola County, as well as parts of Orange and Polk counties. He previously served as the U.S. Representative for Florida's 8th Congressional District in the 111th Congress.
