Layer upon Layer: Public Authorities and Airport Ownership and Management in St. Louis, 1947-1980

Abstract

Although the ownership and management of the nation's air carrier airports continues under a variety of models, the public authority became a popular option following World War II. Beginning in 1947, the St. Louis region witnessed repeated attempts to place the area's air carrier and general aviation airports under a single metropolitan airport authority, one that would operate not only in Missouri but Illinois as well. A number of potential models for action existed. After many attempts, however, the ownership and management of the airports in the St. Louis region remained fragmented, with many overlapping layers.