Letter to the editor: DeNunzio's best for airport

I read with some dismay the article “DeNunzio's cries ‘politics’ as county leaders press to open restaurant lease at Arnold Palmer airport” (April 13, TribLIVE). It seems the county commissioners.have deemed it necessary to open up the airport restaurant lease to any and all bidders. The question must be asked: Why?

Hasn’t Ron DeNunzio and his staff operated their restaurant for years in an efficient and classy manner, in good times and bad? Does DeNunzio’s not offer a quality dining experience serving excellent food with great service at modest prices?

The airport terminal was a ghost town when DeNunzio took over. The arrival of Spirit Airlines and the resulting increase in passenger traffic has been substantial. Is that leased space now worth more? Sure. Probably. Apparently a new lease had been negotiated between DeNunzio and the airport authority. Suddenly all bets are off and the leased space is to be offered up in an “open bid process.” Again, why ? The commissioners may succeed in squeezing a few more dollars out of this leased space, but at what cost ? DeNunzio’s has been an excellent restaurant and a good employer, citizen and taxpayer, as well as an asset to the community.

There is no guarantee the county will secure a restaurant tenant as viable or as good as DeNunzio’s. One thing is certain. They will not find one better.

David L. Snyder

Salem