Officials Examine 3 Bids for Westchester County Airport Operations

HARRISON, NY — Three proposals were submitted by last week's deadline in response to the Request For Proposals to enter into a public-private partnership with Westchester County to manage and operate Westchester County Airport under a long-term lease. The identities of qualified bidders will be announced after a review by Frasca & Associates, the consultant hired by the county to oversee the RFP process, to determine whether the submitted proposals meet the requirements established by the county.

Under the RFP, Westchester County Airport will continue to operate within its existing footprint. The current number of runways, gates and passenger cap remain the same, said Ned McCormack, Westchester County Director of Communications/Senior Advisor to County Executive Robert P. Astorino.

It is also important to note that there is nothing new about a private company operating the airport on behalf of Westchester County, McCormack said. The Westchester County Airport has been run by a private company since the end of World War II. The difference is that the FAA program allows the county to negotiate more favorable terms for residents and the flying public.

The reason for the RFP is so Westchester County can take advantage of a Federal Aviation Administration program that would allow millions of dollars of profits generated at Westchester County Airport to be used for the benefit of all residents and businesses. Under current contract structure, money made at the airport must stay at the airport. The FAA program unlocks those revenues so they can be used to help pay for police, parks, roads, day care and other county services.