Economic and Community Contributions of Selected Alaska Airports: 12 Case Studies Prepared for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities October 2011 Wisdom • Trust • Relevance • Innovation Economic and Community Contributions of Selected Alaska Airports: 12 Case Studies Prepared for Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities October 2011 Prepared by Preparers Team Member Project Role Jonathan King Project Manager Alexus Bond Assistant Project Manager Alejandra Palma Riedel Economist Joel Ainsworth Project Analyst Terri McCoy Technical Editor Please cite as: Northern Economics, Inc. Economic and Community Contributions of Selected Alaska Airports: 12 Case Studies. Prepared for Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. June 2011. Contents Section Page Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................................... ix Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................. ES-1 The Airports and their Communities ............................................................................................. ES-1 Estimates of Total In-State Jobs, Labor, and Economic Output ....................................................... ES-6 Out-of-State Economic Effect ...................................................................................................... ES-10 Return on Annual Maintenance and Operating Costs .................................................................. ES-10 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Study Purpose .................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 The Alaska Aviation System Plan ......................................................................................... 2 1.3 Document Structure ........................................................................................................... 3 1.4 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ 3 2 Analytical Methods ................................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Estimates of Direct and Indirect Employment and Expenditures .......................................... 5 2.1.1 Leaseholder Economic Activity Survey ................................................................................ 6 2.1.2 Operations, Maintenance, and Capital Expenditure Data .................................................... 8 2.1.3 The IMPLAN Input-Output Analysis .................................................................................... 8 2.2 Role in the Community ....................................................................................................... 9 2.3 Estimates of Air Transport-Related (Enplanement, Cargo, and Mail) Expenditures .............. 10 2.3.1 Data Collection Process .................................................................................................... 10 3 Bethel Airport ......................................................................................................................... 13 3.1 Community Description .................................................................................................... 13 3.2 Airport Description ........................................................................................................... 14 3.3 Role in the Community ..................................................................................................... 15 3.4 Enplanement, Cargo, and Mail Expenditures for BET ......................................................... 20 3.5 Direct and Indirect Economic Contributions of On-Airport Activity ................................... 21 3.5.1 Employment and Expenditures by Airport Leaseholders and Airport Management and Operations ....................................................................................................................... 21 3.5.2 Estimates of Total On-Airport Related Employment and Expenditures ............................... 23 4 Deadhorse (Prudhoe Bay) Airport ............................................................................................. 24 4.1 Community Description .................................................................................................... 24 4.2 Airport Description ........................................................................................................... 24 4.3 Role in the Community ..................................................................................................... 25 4.4 Enplanement, Cargo, and Mail Expenditures for SCC ........................................................ 31 4.5 Direct and Indirect Economic Contributions of On-Airport Activity ................................... 31 4.5.1 Employment and Expenditures by Airport Leaseholders and Airport Management and Operations ....................................................................................................................... 31 4.5.2 Estimates of Total On-Airport Related Employment and Expenditures ............................... 33 i Economic and Community Contributions of Selected Alaska Airports: 12 Case Studies 5 Eek Airport .............................................................................................................................. 34 5.1 Community Description .................................................................................................... 34 5.2 Airport Description ........................................................................................................... 35 5.3 Role in the Community ..................................................................................................... 35 5.4 Enplanement, Cargo, and Mail Expenditures for EEK ......................................................... 40 5.5 Direct and Indirect Economic Contributions of On-Airport Activity at EEK ......................... 41 5.5.1 Employment and Expenditures by Airport Leaseholders and Airport Management and Operations ....................................................................................................................... 41 5.5.2 Estimates of Total On-Airport Related Employment and Expenditures ................................ 43 6 Fairbanks International Airport ................................................................................................ 44 6.1 Community Description .................................................................................................... 44 6.2 Airport Description ........................................................................................................... 45 6.3 Role in the Community ..................................................................................................... 46 6.4 Enplanement, Cargo, and Mail Expenditures for FAI .......................................................... 51 6.5 Direct and Indirect Economic Contributions of On-Airport Activity .................................... 51 6.5.1 Employment and Expenditures by Airport Leaseholders and Airport Management and Operations ....................................................................................................................... 52 6.5.2 Estimates of Total On-Airport Related Employment and Expenditures ................................ 53 7 Haines Airport ......................................................................................................................... 54 7.1 Community Description .................................................................................................... 54 7.2 Airport Description ........................................................................................................... 55 7.3 Role in the Community ..................................................................................................... 56 7.4 Enplanement, Cargo, and Mail Expenditures for HNS ........................................................ 60 7.5 Direct and Indirect Economic Contributions of On-Airport Activity .................................... 60 7.5.1 Employment and Expenditures by Airport Leaseholders and Airport Management and Operations ....................................................................................................................... 60 7.5.2 Estimates of Total On-Airport Related Employment and Expenditures ................................ 62 8 Hooper Bay Airport .................................................................................................................. 63 8.1 Community Description .................................................................................................... 63 8.2 Airport Description ........................................................................................................... 63 8.3 Role in the Community ..................................................................................................... 64 8.4 Enplanement, Cargo, and Mail Expenditures for HPB ........................................................ 70 8.5 Direct and Indirect Economic Contributions of On-Airport Activity .................................... 70 8.5.1 Employment and Expenditures by Airport