Airport to sell ATA site, consider parking hike-WEB ONLY

A memo prepared for tomorrow’s airport board meeting says Indianapolis-based Paul Kite Co. plans to buy the former ATA site at Girls School Road and Washington Street for $5.6 million.

The sale is contingent on approval from the Federal Aviation Administration because restrictions govern the sale of land purchased or improved with federal money.

The memo did not detail Kite’s plans for the campus ATA vacated last fall. The Indianapolis-based carrier folded in April 2008 after losing a major military-charter subcontract from FedEx Express.

Kite officials did not return a call seeking comment on their plans for the property.

In addition, the airport board will consider a recommendation by airport staff to raise the maximum daily rate for airport parking to $22 from the current rate of $16.

The maximum $22-a-day rate was in place at the old airport terminal parking garage, which closed last year when the new terminal and parking complex opened.

The new garage carries a $16 daily rate. Airport officials were banking on more people parking at the new, larger garage and were concerned then that a $22 rate would drive people to park in private off-airport lots.

The board memo said actual rates for the garage and other airport lots would be presented at the August board meeting.

The least-expensive on-airport lot currently is $7 a day for short-term parking and $11 a day for long-term.

Airport parking revenue in 2009 is tracking $5 million lower than budgeted. Oficials hope a new rate structure will bring in $4 million more next year over 2009.

Airport passenger traffic is down 10 percent this year, with cargo traffic off nearly 16 percent.

Also to be considered at tomorrow’s meeting is a proposal to generate an additional $2.3 million by selling 17 acres of land to accommodate the “Accelerate I-465” construction project underway by the Indiana Department of Transportation.