COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The latest prospect lined up to give a boost to the Branch County economy is a skydiving business based at the Ft. Wayne airport with plans to move their operations to Coldwater and the Branch County Memorial Airport. Details of the possible relocation were presented at Tuesday’s meeting of the Branch County Airport Commission, which approved the proposal from Gravity Powered Sports. The final decision is up to the Branch County Board of Commissioners.
Yesterday, at the county board’s work meeting, Commissioner Rod Olney, the board’s liaison to the Airport Commission, requested that the application from the parachuting business be turned over to the county’s attorney to be reviewed for any liability issues or other items that may need to be checked out before Commissioners take action. Olney said the local economy would benefit since skydivers from across southern Michigan, northeast Indiana and western Ohio train and jump as customers of the business.
In addition, he said the firm wanted to relocate so the owner could be closer to his home and also because the skydivers have to compete for airspace at times with hot air balloons that use the airport as well.
