W-b Firehouse Tiff Goes To Federal Level

1 1 Wvc Standouts Make 2a All-state First Team

By JERRY LYNOTT jlynott@leader.net
 Wednesday, December 07, 2005 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1A 





The Harrisburg International Airport built a restaurant and bar area for a
tenant to move into, similar to what the local airport board is considering. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Alfred Testa Jr., aviation director at Harrisburg, said the path
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport plans to follow is "not abnormal." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Harrisburg spent approximately $1.1 million to construct a shell in its new
terminal for a concessionaire, Testa said on Tuesday. The airport entered a
lease with Anton Airfood Inc. for the bar and restaurant operations. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Larger airports with millions of passengers passing through annually can
attract restaurants to come in and build at their own expense, Testa said. The
huge passenger volume is a guaranteed source of income, he added. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Smaller facilities have to take it upon themselves to build the space and
work with a concessionaire on lease and design for the restaurant, he
explained. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Harrisburg expects to have approximately 700,000 people boarding planes
this year, Testa said. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is on pace to exceed last year's
enplanement level of nearly 202,000. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Locally, the board of commissioners from Luzerne and Lackawanna counties
that operates the airport, plans to spend $1.2 million in taxpayer money to
build a restaurant/bar and news/gift shop area in the new terminal under
construction. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The board intends to let the current restaurant operator, Leo Vergnetti,
move into the new space. It has been negotiating a lease in private with
Vergnetti of Scranton, who is getting the sole shot at the restaurant
concession because of his long-standing relationship with the airport. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 At least one other company with a proven track record as an airport
concessionaire showed an interest in working with the airport in the new
terminal, acknowledged airport board chairman and Luzerne County Commissioner
Todd Vonderheid. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He said the Hudson Group "submitted a concept proposal." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A spokeswoman for the East Rutherford, N.J.-based company said officials
were traveling Tuesday and unavailable for comment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But former assistant airport director and business manager Wy Gowell said
the airport is using Hudson's proposal for the restaurant area. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "The airport is building it to that standard," said Gowell who resigned
last year after 16 years at the airport. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Hudson's people met with the airport administration at least twice last
year, he said. The proposal and drawings they presented were passed on to
Vergnetti, Gowell said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A message left Tuesday morning for Vergnetti at the airport restaurant was
not immediately returned. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Airport Director Barry Centini declined to comment on the airport's
restaurant plans. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Airport's Eatery Plan Gets Defender/ A Smaller Facility Might Well Have To Build A Restaurant For A Tenant, A Harrisburg Airport Official Says