Asheville Airport adds routes, prescreening service
News continued to flow from Asheville Regional Airport last week. Delta Airlines announced new Saturday nonstop service to Detroit beginning in June, while Allegiant Airlines added a twice-weekly direct flight to Sarasota, Fla. The airport will roll out security precheck service during peak hours, providing program participants a simplified, expedited security screening process.
To sign up for the Transportation Security Administration precheck program, travelers must visit a screening center, pay an $85 fee (which covers a five-year period) and provide documentation and fingerprints. In a press release, Asheville Regional Airport said a special registration event will be held at the airport in late March, with more information available in the coming weeks.
Hospitality industry gears up for season
Lodging industry stakeholders heard an overview of industry conditions on Feb. 22 at the annual Hospitality Outlook presented by the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority and Explore Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Bennjin Lao of STR Inc. presented data on the hospitality industry in Buncombe County, home to 78 lodging properties with 7,801 rooms as of December. An additional 22 lodging properties are in the active development pipeline, with about 505 additional rooms expected to become available in 2019.
According to Lao, hotel growth in key metrics is expected to continue into 2019, but he pointed out that room occupancy is growing at a slower pace than in the past due to increased supply.
Buncombe County is outperforming peer destinations in demand growth and average daily room rate, Lao said.
Explore Asheville President and CEO Stephanie Brown also reported on CVB updates and initiatives.
Apply for residential permits online
Those seeking residential building permits in the city of Asheville can now apply online at avl.mx/5qa.
According to a city press release, the application site also includes links to a checklist of residential application requirements and digital submission guidelines.
Buncombe County taps new leaders
County employee Diana Sierra moved into a new role leading the Family Justice Center. She previously served as a program manager with the county’s Health and Human Services Department’s Child Protective Services division. According to a press release, Sierra will work with community partners “to integrate community resources that provide high-quality, trauma-informed services to those experiencing domestic and sexual violence.”
Mike Mace, who currently works for Mission Health, will join the county as general services director on March 25. Mace’s new responsibilities will include “administrative and supervisory direction over county buildings and facilities, which include approximately 2 million square feet of building space and close to 750 acres of grounds maintenance. He will also ensure fleet readiness and provide design and construction administration for all county construction and renovation projects, external agency projects with county oversight and all publicly bid projects,” according to a press release.
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