(St. George, UT) - Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) hailed the opening of the new St. George Airport, calling it an exciting new chapter in the state’s aviation history and an economic boon to southwestern Utah.

“Wednesday, Janaury 12, 2011 begins an exciting new chapter in our state’s aviation history,” Hatch said following today’s grand opening. “The impact of this airport will be more than a mere drop in the pond; it will create a ripple effect that will bring more scores of more visitors and hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenues to Utah’s Dixie. It is an important investment in the area’s future, and it will pay economic dividends for decades to come.

“For years, some naysayers said a new airport would never get off the ground,” Hatch added. “A few did everything they could to see that it wouldn’t. The opening of this facility today is a testament to the vision and persistence of the city, state, and federal officials who worked together to make it happen, and I am pleased to have had the privilege of helping bring this project to fruition. This bigger, better airport is a reflection of how far St. George has come, and it will help this community reach its full potential.”

Hatch, along with then-Sen. Bob Bennett and Rep. Jim Matheson, worked with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other relevant agencies to expedite the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process for the airport, among other things.