Northern Colorado Regional Airport announced late last week a is nearly ready to open at its Discovery Air complex. The by municipal authorities a year and a half ago.
Chris Wood, editor and publisher of BizWest, told KUNC gaining this office is significant for international travelers coming through the airport.
鈥淗aving a customs office locally means that travelers from other countries won't have to stop at another airport to go through customs, which saves them a lot of time and expense,鈥� Wood said. 鈥淭his office can also process passport applications, citizenship and naturalization procedures, advise on international travel, and can provide clearances for transporting food, alcohol, tobacco and other items into the country.鈥�
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While Northern Colorado Regional Airport does not have regularly scheduled airline service, many corporate aircraft use it, including international operations.
鈥淩ight now, if companies such as or or other companies fly executives from Canada or elsewhere into the airport, they have to first land in Casper, Wyoming, Billings, Montana or Broomfield to go through customs,鈥� Wood said. 鈥淭his office will eliminate that requirement, saving hours of travel time and expense.鈥�
Supporters say the new customs office could also attract businesses to the region. Martin Lind, who owns the Discovery Air facility at the airport, applied to host the customs office there. Lind worked out an incentive agreement with the city of Loveland to partially fund the project.
Wood told KUNC the office is mostly ready to open.
鈥淭he office conducted a dry run in early May, and that first operation involved a Gulfstream 550 aircraft with Canadian passengers that was arriving from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan,鈥� Wood said. 鈥淓verything worked properly.鈥�
Now, the agency is choosing an officer to assign to the site.
鈥淎s soon as they get that person in place, the office will be fully operational,鈥� Wood said.
