Good morning and thank you for being here.

We have some exciting news this morning regarding our community efforts to bring affordable air fares and improved air service to Wichita Mid-Continent Airport.

It is no secret that lowering air fares at Wichita’s Mid-Continent Airport is a top priority for the City of Wichita. It is no secret we are being very aggressive about achieving that goal. And now, with the help from all of you in this room… we are closer than ever.

We are going to change the way Wichita business travels...

We are going to change the way airlines do business in Wichita... and in the process...

We are going to forge a new model for solving community problems...

Recently we announced plans for establishment of a Travel Bank. Under the program, businesses and organizations commit a portion of their annual travel budgets to AirTran Airways, Frontier Airlines and/or American Trans Air.

The "deposits" in the Travel Bank are financial commitments which represent a partnership between the businesses of South Central Kansas and the discount airlines, helping reduce some of the high risk of starting new airline service.

It is a good idea which is about to get better.

Ladies and Gentleman... I am pleased to officially unveil the logo for this campaign... Fair Fares.

Fair Fares logo.

This slogan and logo capture the essence of what this effort is all about. It is not only a slogan… but a battle cry for this community.

I want to thank Sam Williams and the creative minds at Sullivan Higdon Sink for their work and contribution in creating and designing the Fair Fares logo.

And I am pleased to unveil a new dimension to our Fair Fares Program. Originally, we envisioned the pledge program as a pre-paid commitment... businesses would actually deposit in cash the amount of their travel budget pledged and then draw down on that amount as trips were taken... in effect, it worked like a debit card.

Many businesses however, expressed concern about having to actually deposit cash in advance. So, we’ve come up with a way to help ease those concerns.

With the generous support of Intrust Bank and Commerce Bank... I am pleased to unveil the Fair Fares Purchase Card...

With the Fair Fares Purchase Card, businesses can pledge to the effort, but will not be required to come up with the cash up front... the Fair Fares Card will work exactly like a credit card... a business pledges an amount from their travel budget, then can use the Fair Fares Purchase Card to charge that travel and pay for it later. Intrust Bank and Commerce have both expressed interest in handling the card processing and providing the initial line of credit for the Fair Fares Purchase Card program.

This card will make it even easier and manageable for businesses in South Central Kansas to take advantage of the lower air fares and improved travel options the Fair Fares Program can offer.

The Fair Fares program can get your business travel off the ground at Mid-Continent Airport. The Fair Fares Card can get you where you need to go... when you need to go... and at fares your business can afford... all from Wichita Mid-Continent Airport.

All of this is exciting news... but it won’t work unless businesses pledge their support. We are asking corporate and community leaders in the Wichita and South Central Kansas region to pledge 25 to 50-percent of their business or organization travel budgets to AirTran, Frontier, and/or American Trans Air airlines through the Fair Fares Travel Bank Program. We need this commitment in writing and we need it by January 18, 2002.

These letters of commitment are needed to secure an airline which will bring quality, stable, low-fare air service to South Central Kansas through Wichita’s Mid-Continent Airport by the spring of 2002. Our goal is to collect commitments for $15 million within the next 6 weeks. Your support will help us ensure success. Without it, we will certainly fail.

The group of people standing with me this morning are known as BIG... the Business Investment Group... it is made up of Wichita area business professionals who are taking control of their destiny by supporting and committing to the Fair Fares Program...

I’d now like to introduce Troy Carlson of RIGHT Management who will make a very exciting announcement on behalf of the Business Investment Group... Troy...

Thank you Troy and thanks to all of the members of the Business Investment Group... your enthusiasm and your willingness to step up and pitch-in are exactly what this community needs...

We have another group present today which is also willing to step up on this important goal. I have formed a group called the Mayor's Vision 2020 Task Force. These are young people in Wichita who have already made an impact on our community with their innovative thinking. They are people who have already made impressive steps in their careers and are making their lives in Wichita. They have agreed to help make a better future for Wichita. While BIG focuses on Economic Development, the Vision 2020 group focuses on tourism and quality of life issues. Obviously, the fight for lower air fares is a task for both efforts.

They are doing what we are asking every member of our community to do... help us get a travel pledge from their own business or organization. We are asking them to work as ambassadors to this program by asking other businesses to pledge as well. We need champions for this cause if it is to succeed. The BIG group and the Vision 2020 Task Force, along with everyone here today, has agreed to be just that.

The City of Wichita has proven it can and will tackle serious problems... find sensible solutions which work... and then put those solutions to work for the good of the community.

The reason we have had success in lowering electric rates, in dealing with freight trains, in building the Kellogg Freeway... is because citizens... people like yourselves... have supported us and worked with us.

You have taken control of your own destiny... you have challenged conventional wisdom…you have rejected the status quo... you have been aggressive and refused to take no for an answer...

You have done it before and I am confident you will do it again to help our community solve a serious community problem.