Chamber of Commerce

PORTFOLIO Accents Talkin’ bout Glory Days There’s a reason why Time calls Fayetteville one of the most patriotic cities in the country. Veterans are never far from the minds of Fayettevillians. A state veterans’ park is in the works downtown. Fayetteville is also known as the World’s First Sanctuary City for Military Families, and every May, you can’t miss the dramatic sight of the Field of Honor, just one of many events during the 31 Days of Glory. The month-long event honors soldiers, veterans and their families culminating on Memorial Day with a pancake breakfast, ceremony at Freedom Memorial Park, car show, bake sale, live music, arts and crafts, food vendors, bicycle races, vintage military equipment and gear exhibits, carriage rides and more, including “Walk A Mile in their Boots,” a walk from Festival Park to Freedom Memorial Park. But the Field of Honor is perhaps a community favorite. Individuals purchase flags in honor or in memory of a service member. It truly is a sight to behold as rows and rows of American flags billow in the breeze. - Allison Williams The Fayetteville Regional Airport has spruced up its runway, parking lots, landscaping and fire station. The two-year, multi-million dollar renovation is so big, well, it’s just about Texas- A Texas-sizeexpansion sized. As the projects reached completion, the airport announced a new, direct flight to Dallas/Fort Worth. Starting June 10, 2010, American Eagle Airlines offers the flight twice a day, in addition to the airport’s existing hops to Atlanta and Charlotte. And officials are still keeping fingers crossed for a direct flight to Washington, D.C. – the Fayetteville Airport Commission raised incentives that may lure a new carrier to take Fort Bragg brass (and the rest of us) to the nation’s capital. “We’re modernizing, improving the experience and hoping that people choose the local alternative,” said airport Director Bradley Whited. Statistics show that they are doing just that: a USA Today survey found that the Fayetteville airport added seats at a time when other airlines saw decreases. Now, passengers will find a repaved runway and parking lots, new lights and new canopy-covered kiosk pay booths, plus improved landscaping and rehabilitations to the airport fire station. A grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (the largest in the airport’s history) funded 95 percent of the costs for renovations to the runway while local airport funds contributed five percent. Whited also anticipates receiving a grant for $4 million to renovate the airport taxiway. Future plans call for a new awning over the terminal entrance. - Talia Higgs www.FayettevilleNCChamber.org | 61

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