The new owners of the Monmouth Executive Airport are reportedly hoping to lure the owners of million-dollar corporate jets with several changes to the airport.
A group of investors known as Wall Aviation LLC bought the airport several months ago from the Wall Herald Corp., which is owned by the family of the late Ed Brown, the Asbury Park Press reports.
The new owners are planning to move the skydiving and banner-airplane tenants out, including United Aerial Advertising, High Exposure Aerial Advertising and Skydive Jersey Shore, the newspaper said.
The owners also plan to install a Fixed Base Operator, a service station for aircrafts, the Press reports.
Richard Asper, chairman of Aviation Professionals Group, which orchestrated the negotiations, told the newspaper Wall Aviation is trying to attract owners of “$50 million aircraft as opposed to $50,000.”
But not everyone is happy about Wall Aviation’s plans for the 673-acre site, once called Allaire Airport.
John Wells, co-owner of United Aerial Advertising, told the newspaper that kicking banner airplane businesses out of the Monmouth airport could jeopardize aerial advertising at the Jersey Shore.
“Advertising has been a staple of the Jersey Shore for more than 80 years,” Wells told the Press. “This is huge. It would be as bad as closing down the Stone Pony.”
Wells says his company and another tenant at the airport represent about half of the banner business at the shore, according to the Press.
A representative for the new owners said they would begin looking for a new site for the tenants soon, according to the Press.
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/11/monmouth_executive_airport_gets_new_owner_planned_upgrades.html