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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Arlington Municipal Airport has been named the 2011 |
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Reliever Airport of the Year by the Aviation Division of the Texas |
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Department of Transportation; and |
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WHEREAS, Reliever airports are designated by the Federal |
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Aviation Administration to reduce congestion at larger commercial |
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airports and to provide community access to general aviation; each |
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year, TxDOT's Aviation Division honors a Texas reliever airport for |
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supporting local economic development, as well as community events |
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and activities, and for improving and expanding its aviation |
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facilities; and |
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WHEREAS, Operating 24 hours a day, Arlington Municipal |
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Airport provides a secure and reliable destination for corporate |
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and private aviation in the Dallas-Fort Worth area; the airport |
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employs nearly 800 full-time staffers with a $30.1 million payroll |
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and generates $93.3 million in revenue from general aviation users |
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and on-site spending; it is also home to 22 businesses; and |
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WHEREAS, The airport has recently opened a new terminal |
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building, and in partnership with TxDOT, it has initiated |
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construction projects to enhance the facility's lighting, approach |
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aids, and air traffic control tower radar; and |
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WHEREAS, In recent years, the airport's jet operations have |
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grown by 40 percent annually, thanks in part to the new Dallas |
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Cowboys stadium, and the facility has also experienced increases in |
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cargo and charter operations; the airport has hosted visitors for |
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25 major events in the past year, including the Major League |
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Baseball championships, the Cotton Bowl, the World Series, and |
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Super Bowl XLV; and |
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WHEREAS, Four days before the 2011 Super Bowl, air traffic in |
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North Texas was virtually shut down by an ice storm, but because of |
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15 months of careful planning and then around-the-clock efforts by |
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the airport's staff, Arlington Municipal Airport reopened within 24 |
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hours and stayed open, despite continuing bad weather; and |
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WHEREAS, The airport's ability to meet such challenges, its |
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high standard of service, its potential for expansion and growth, |
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and its many contributions to the local economy make Arlington |
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Municipal Airport a truly fitting choice for this prestigious |
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award; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Arlington Municipal Airport on |
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being named the 2011 Reliever Airport of the Year by the Texas |
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Department of Transportation Aviation Division and extend to the |
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airport's management and staff sincere best wishes for continued |
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success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Arlington Municipal Airport as an expression of high |
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regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |