Moving Ogden airport called both 'not viable' and 'doable'

OGDEN, Utah (KUTV) — In the wake of a series of small plane crashes in a Roy neighborhood — the latest last week — the idea of moving nearby Ogden Regional Airport was called both "doable" and "not viable" on Friday.

"I think the discussion needs to take place," said Gage Froerer, Weber County commissioner, who cited economic reasons for making a move — along with safety concerns.

Froerer articulated a flight plan that would build a new airport in west Weber County, in or near the new state Inland Port boundaries, to handle private planes and those carrying freight.

The current Ogden Regional Airport would remain for commercial airlines. Allegiant and Breeze fly in and out of Ogden now, but Froerer suspected the airport will attract more commercial traffic.

The two-airports plan, he said, is "definitely doable."

Officials with Ogden City, which owns the airport, insisted a new airport won't get off the ground.

"It's not viable," said city spokesman Mike McBride, who told 2News the project could cost "hundreds of millions" of dollars.

Mike Ginter, a safety executive with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, said the concept is very difficult, but "not impossible."

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"The idea of moving an airport is incredibly complex, hard and expensive," said Ginter, who put the cost at "multi-billions," an estimate that may approximate spending on the new Salt Lake International Airport.

Ginter also asserted the FAA would need to approve the project before agreeing to finance most of it — and said there is even more red tape that relates to money.

Froerer said the project would be a decade or more away — that a new airport could become a regional hub for northern Utah — and waiting now will drive costs higher later.

"If we're going to do this," he said, "let's start planning on a potential airport."

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