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TIA Hangar Leasing Deal Falls Through

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By TED JACKOVICS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 4, 2007

TAMPA - A deal to lease a vacant maintenance hangar at Tampa International Airport to an Alabama firm that said it might create 410 jobs here by 2009 has fallen through, an airport spokeswoman said today.

Negotiations with Pemco World Air Services of Dothan, Ala., did not materialize into a contract as of a November deadline and the proposed deal announced in July is off, spokeswoman Brenda Geoghagan said.

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, on the recommendation of the airport staff, had approved negotiations to lease to Pemco the former US Airways hangar that the aviation authority owns.

Pemco beat out a Miami company that was not licensed as a maintenance repair company to negotiate the lease, although it had plans to get into the business, airport director Louis Miller said in July in explaining the staff's rationale for selecting Pemco.

The airport does not intend to contact Astar Air Cargo of Miami about Pemco's change of plans, but it is possible discussions with that company and others could take place once the hangar vacancy is advertised, Geoghagan said.

A Pemco official involved in the proposed deal was not available for comment this afternoon.

Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reached at (813) 259-7817 or tjackovics@tampatrib.com.

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