Dec. 21, 2007: Crystal Airport open, but fate still up in air

The city wants to redevelop the 430 acres. The mayor said MAC vote doesn't "lift the cloud over the airport."

By LORA PABST, Star Tribune

Last update: April 27, 2008 - 2:42 PM

After hearing more than a dozen stories about the history and significance of the Crystal Airport, the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) voted to keep the state's fifth-busiest airport open.

The 12-3 decision this week came after an earlier MAC committee vote to keep the airport open, as well as a yearlong study by MAC staff of the airport's financial viability.

Crystal officials had asked the commission several times to close the airport, which sits on a 430-acre parcel near Hwy. 81. The area had been eyed for redevelopment by the city for years.

Crystal Mayor ReNae Bowman told the commission at Monday's meeting that she thinks personal aviation is declining nationwide and Crystal Airport is not being used to its full potential.

"We're going to take a wait-and-see approach because that's the proper thing to do at this time," she said after the meeting. "[The decision] did not lift the cloud over the airport because there are still so many issues. MAC needs to come up with a plan ... because they have promised they are going to clean that place up."

Hangar owners have said they delayed improvements until they knew the fate of the airport.

MAC Commissioner Robert Mars, who voted to close the airport, said he wanted to hear more from residents, business people and community leaders in Crystal because he didn't think the MAC should be limiting development and growth in the city.

"There are airports all over, and just because 20 years ago we put an airport in Crystal doesn't mean it needs to stay there," he said after the meeting.

Now that the full commission's vote has been taken, MAC staff will begin the two- to three-month process of developing the long-term comprehensive plan. Once that plan is completed, work will begin to close two of the airport's four runways.

Lora Pabst • 612-673-4628

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