An outside study of the Erie Municipal Airport’s economic potential concluded that there are untapped opportunities to increase revenue, leading town leaders to make a controversial decision to nix an unused second runway, reports the Boulder Daily Camera.

The study, conducted by Boyd Group International for about $50,000, concluded that the airport “represents and enormous economic asset an opportunity to the town.”

Erie Mayor Andrew Moore said the study gives the town concrete ideas on how to make the airport self-supporting so it doesn’t need to be subsidized by the taxpayers — and how to potentially make it a revenue generator.

“It’s a major step forward to enable economic development at the airport,” he said.

But pilot Scott DeLuise, a member of the Erie Airport Economic Development Council, said the decision to remove the second runway is “ill advised and a knee jerk action.”

He said the town shouldn’t consider removing the runway until there`s a viable project proposed to build hangars — something he considers unlikely in a recession.

Read the entire article at the Daily Camera.