Cisco Community Members Hope Proposed Airport Takes Flight
By: Homa Bash
Updated: September 25, 2012
The Wilks brothers of Cisco -- you may have seen their names on several buildings around town.
They're also the one's behind creating Cisco's newest airport, right off Interstate 20.
That is, if the obstacle that's been blocking their path for nearly two years agrees to step aside.
"We would like to see Cisco grow and provide good jobs in this community and that's what this is about," said Director of Public Affairs, Holly Carless.
"We're just waiting for Lonestar to give us the okay and say that they'll be re-routing the line and we'll start pouring the runway," Carless added.
The Wilks Brothers applied for and were granted a license from the FAA in 2007 and have been renewing it every year since then, Carless said.
In 2010, Lonestar Transmission planned to place a statewide wind energy transmission line through the site of the proposed airport, creating a presumed hazard over the airspace.
"We have a huge corporote business, Frac-tech, here. When their corporate people come here, they have to fly in to Abilene, rent a car and drive an hour, so it's just really not conducive to their needs," said Bridget Flores, Director of the Cisco Chamber of Commerce.
Community members we spoke with Tuesday siad they are in favor of the boost in business they hope the project will bring.
"The airport means transportation, the airport means new possibility of other businesses moving in and it also means the opportunity for a small west Texas town to grow," said Cisco ISD Superintendent, Kelly West.
"So many rural communities are struggling and you know, many are dying. And we need to think now that if we're not bringing businesses in, encouraging economic growth, where will our children find places to work? When they're done with college and they're looking for jobs, can they come home?" said Ruth York, a supporter of the airport project.
A website called Support the Re-route is hoping more community members pledge their support in favor of the airport, named after a fallen Eastland firefighter, Gregory Simmons.
It's a project that has a lot of backing in the community -- and one that supporters say is attainable alongside the re-routed transmission line.
The Wilks have obtained a temporary injunction against the wind energy company, Lonestar Transmission, from starting work on the site and Carless said they hope to make it a permanent injunction soon.
Lonestar, meanwhile, has told the Wilks Brothers that they plan to start work within six weeks.
They're also the one's behind creating Cisco's newest airport, right off Interstate 20.
That is, if the obstacle that's been blocking their path for nearly two years agrees to step aside.
"We would like to see Cisco grow and provide good jobs in this community and that's what this is about," said Director of Public Affairs, Holly Carless.
"We're just waiting for Lonestar to give us the okay and say that they'll be re-routing the line and we'll start pouring the runway," Carless added.
The Wilks Brothers applied for and were granted a license from the FAA in 2007 and have been renewing it every year since then, Carless said.
In 2010, Lonestar Transmission planned to place a statewide wind energy transmission line through the site of the proposed airport, creating a presumed hazard over the airspace.
"We have a huge corporote business, Frac-tech, here. When their corporate people come here, they have to fly in to Abilene, rent a car and drive an hour, so it's just really not conducive to their needs," said Bridget Flores, Director of the Cisco Chamber of Commerce.
Community members we spoke with Tuesday siad they are in favor of the boost in business they hope the project will bring.
"The airport means transportation, the airport means new possibility of other businesses moving in and it also means the opportunity for a small west Texas town to grow," said Cisco ISD Superintendent, Kelly West.
"So many rural communities are struggling and you know, many are dying. And we need to think now that if we're not bringing businesses in, encouraging economic growth, where will our children find places to work? When they're done with college and they're looking for jobs, can they come home?" said Ruth York, a supporter of the airport project.
A website called Support the Re-route is hoping more community members pledge their support in favor of the airport, named after a fallen Eastland firefighter, Gregory Simmons.
It's a project that has a lot of backing in the community -- and one that supporters say is attainable alongside the re-routed transmission line.
The Wilks have obtained a temporary injunction against the wind energy company, Lonestar Transmission, from starting work on the site and Carless said they hope to make it a permanent injunction soon.
Lonestar, meanwhile, has told the Wilks Brothers that they plan to start work within six weeks.
