Cheyenne Regional Airport News
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Guard Cancels Airshow
As posted on WyomingNews.com
By Bill McCarthy
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CHEYENNE -- The Wyoming Air National Guard will not host its annual static air show in July.
The show usually runs during Cheyenne Frontier Days when the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds make their yearly appearance in the skies over Cheyenne.
The Thunderbirds' performance on July 28 is unaffected by the decision.
Among the factors influencing the decision to cancel this year's Guard show are deployments, construction at the airfield, several major inspections this year and less money available because of military assistance in Haiti.
"It's fully understandable," said Rod Hottle, general chairman for CFD.
Hottle said that while the National Guard show is an excellent event that adds to CFD, the big draw is the Thunderbirds.
The Thunderbirds have performed at CFD since 1953 and will be performing over Laramie Community College as usual this summer.
So CFD ticket sales and tourism in general should be unaffected, officials say.
Dale Steenbergen, president and chief executive with the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce, agrees.
"We hate to lose (the show)," he said, but he added that the Thunderbirds are what people come to see.
"From my point of view, we really like having all of that construction at the base," Steenbergen added.
Work on the Wyoming Air Guard base at the west end of the Cheyenne Regional Airport brings jobs, he said.
Col. Dennis Grunstad said in a press release, "It was a tough decision, but we would not have been able to provide the top-notch air show the community deserves this year. We decided to not lower the bar."
Grunstad is the 153rd Airlift Wing commander.
Other Air Guard personnel said they could not comment Monday without permission.
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