Chamber Insider Blog

Nova Chamber Partnership leads effort to create a statewide coalition to support Dulles funding

 

  

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 4, 2016

Eileen Curtis, Dulles Regional Chamber: 571.323.5301

Mark Ingrao, Greater Reston Chamber: 703.707.9045

Tony Howard, Loudoun County Chamber: 571.209.9020

Northern Virginia Chamber Partnership leads effort to create a statewide business coalition to support Dulles Airport funding

Crafting a coalition of Chambers, tourism boards and other business groups, Chamber Partnership leads fight to lower passenger fees at Dulles 

 

Northern Virginia – The Northern Virginia Chamber Partnership has organized a coalition of business groups from throughout Virginia to rally support for Governor Terry McAuliffe’s plan to invest $50 million to lower costs for travelers using Washington Dulles International Airport.

Twenty seven chambers of commerce, tourism groups and other Virginia business organizations signed a letter sent to every member of the Virginia General Assembly asking them to support the Governor’s plan. The $50 million will be used to reduce the fees airlines charge to recover the expenses associated with operating an airport, including infrastructure improvements.

Consisting of the Dulles Regional, Greater Reston and Loudoun County chambers, the Northern Virginia Chamber Partnership led the effort to rally and form this business coalition.

“The economic growth and prosperity of the entire Commonwealth depends on the success of Dulles Airport. I am proud of the work the Northern Virginia Chamber Partnership did to organize a diverse group of business groups from throughout the Commonwealth to support this plan to protect one of Virginia’s most important economic assets,” said Tony Howard, President of the Loudoun County Chamber.

“Dulles International Airport is our treasure in so many ways.  It is most certainly the economic engine of our region.  But in this era of globalization, it is also our doorway to the world and its business.  Virginia has entered the global economy and having Dulles in Virginia offers us incredible opportunities for economic diversification, ease of access to clients worldwide and a burgeoning tourism industry.  It is special—and it is ours,” said Eileen Curtis, President of the Dulles Regional Chamber.

“With the efforts of businesses and the state government to build a new Virginia economy, recruiting national and international companies to the Commonwealth while leveraging our state’s assets to export them to other countries is imperative.  Dulles International Airport’s ability to move people and goods is more critical now than any time in Virginia’s history”, noted Mark Ingrao, President and CEO of the Greater Reston Chamber.

Dulles Airport is as a major domestic and international gateway, and a hub for flights from airports across the Commonwealth.  Improving the strength of Dulles through this investment will also improve the strength of the aviation sector across Virginia.  Due to a number of reasons, including Congressional action that has unduly favored Reagan National Airport, passenger traffic at Dulles has decreased, driving up the costs to the passengers that remain.

To read the Partnership’s letter to the General Assembly, click here.

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The Northern Virginia Chamber Partnership is Northern Virginia’s oldest and most respected Chamber-led Partnership.  Now in its eighth year lobbying the General Assembly, the Partnership provides a strong, unified voice for the northern Virginia business communities throughout the Dulles Corridor, including Western Fairfax, greater Reston, Dulles and Loudoun County at the state and regional level, collectively representing more than 2,800 businesses and 100,000 jobs.