City airport seeking six-figure grant from La Crosse County, to help make up for possible shortfalls

La Crosse’s regional airport is seeking financial support from area leaders. An airport request for 2025 funding goes before the La Crosse County Board on Thursday. The request is for up to $250,000, for a fund that could add up to $1.5 million.

The director of LSE, Jeff Tripp, says the county is one potential source for money that would assure airlines of local government backing.

Tripp says he’s talked with an air service working group to establish what’s called a Minimum Revenue Guarantee fund, “which the airlines look for as we try to establish a new route, to help give them some financial assurances that if the route does not perform to the level that they would hope it would, that we can help make up the shortfall.” Tripp spoke this week at an airport ceremony, introducing new shuttle buses for trips between La Crosse and Minneapolis.

At its Thursday meeting, the county board also will review federal funding for a program promoting safe streets and roads.