Withdealbetween Bridgeport, CT Airport Authority dead, what is Sikorsky Airport's future?

Jul. 21—The Windsor Locks-based CAA board Wednesday suspended negotiations, citing the last-minute elimination in the recently passed two-year state budget of an aviation fuel tax that entity relies on to run the six airports currently in its portfolio.

The possibility of the authority either purchasing or in some other form operating the Bridgeport-owned, Stratford-based Sikorsky was formally announced in November 2021 by Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont.

In a statement Thursday about the authority's decision, David Bednarz, Lamont's senior press secretary, told Hearst Connecticut Media, "The governor believes that Sikorsky Airport has underutilized potential to be an economic driver for the Greater Bridgeport area and he remains committed to working with all of the involved parties to maximize the opportunities that this airport can achieve."

The city and CAA had been working toward the ultimate goal of the latter using its expertise, financial resources and industry contacts to bring back the commercial passenger flights that ended there a few decades ago, upgrading Sikorsky into something akin to Tweed — a non-CAA property in New Haven — or Westchester County Airport just over the Connecticut border in New York.

Currently Bridgeport's airport caters to business, charter and private flights.

U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, a Democrat whose district includes Bridgeport, has also been advocating for an expanded use of Sikorsky. He had sterner words than Lamont for the CAA.

"I am enormously disappointed by the CAA's decision not to pursue an operating agreement with Bridgeport for the Sikorsky Airport. Shame on them," Himes said Friday in a statement to Hearst. "What is today a drain on Bridgeport's budget is an enormous economic development opportunity for the entire region. I've been working to assist Sikorsky Airport for years, including securing ... funding for necessary upgrades. Despite this setback, I'll continue working with the City of Bridgeport to maximize the full potential of Sikorsky to bring jobs and economic development to the region."

Daniel Roach, a Ganim aide who has been closely involved for the past few years in planning Sikorsky's future, said Friday that despite this week's setback the city is moving forward with a state-funded $7 million overhaul of one of the facility's two runways. He reiterated previous assertions that project is a necessity to keep the airport functioning — "the runway was shot," Roach said — but would also help to lure a commercial passenger carrier.

"This always needed to be the first step," Roach said.

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And with the CAA at least for now no longer a partner, Roach continued, "We're in the process of exploring alternatives to develop the airport."

Such as trying, without the CAA taking point, to woo an airline as a major tenant that would also take on the costly task of building out the additional necessary infrastructure, like a passenger terminal. Sikorsky's former building was demolished long ago.

A study commissioned in 2021 concluded that a new terminal at that time would cost $15 million.

The Ganim administration in 2019 had tried but been unable to strike a deal with Breeze Airways, which has since become a fixture at the CAA-run Bradley International in Windsor Locks.

Initially focused on buying Sikorsky, the CAA backed off of that option earlier this year when a preliminary environmental assessment indicated there would be a potentially steep multi-million dollar cost to clean-up the property. State law requires environmental remediation be part of such a land transaction.

Stratford Mayor Laura Hoydick's administration had last year unsuccessfully made a counter-offer to purchase the airport, arguing the town would be a more responsible steward than the CAA, headquartered upstate in Windsor Locks. Ganim at the time balked at Hoydick's effort.

There has for years been tension between Bridgeport's elected officials and Stratford's over expanding flights at Sikorsky pre-dating Hoydick and Ganim. And the city's talks with CAA were further complicated when state lawmakers from Stratford, including Senate Republican Minority Leader Kevin Kelly, during this year's legislative session in Hartford succeeded in codifying a process giving town officials a say in approving Bridgeport's sale or lease of the site. Ganim's Democratic administration had argued that a possible management agreement with the CAA was not a lease.

Hoydick, a Republican, on Friday said her administration "is still interested" in owning Sikorsky.

"Like the governor, I do agree that it's important to the region," Hoydick said. "'Economic driver' is an interesting word. I think it's an economic vehicle. I think it's important to the economy, period, of the region."

Hoydick also emphasized that she was "absolutely" OK with the CAA running the airport as long as the authority did not buy it.

"In my opinion the Town of Stratford can own it, but we shouldn't operate it," Hoydick said. "If we're successful in purchasing it we will hire an operator."

Roach declined to comment on a potential sale to Stratford. He did, however, keep the possibility of a future compact with the CAA on the table. Following Wednesday's vote by the authority's board, Roach said he spoke with Kevin Dillon, the CAA's executive director, and "he wants to keep the lines of communication open."

Dillon in an interview following Wednesdays' authority meeting had said, "I'm not saying there's not avenues to potentially talk with Bridgeport. But until we get our arms around how are we going to fund these airports (without the aviation fuel tax) it's a dicey situation."