(April 15, 2015) -- JetBlue Airways, which currently has a request pending with the City of Long Beach to allow a federal inspection [customs] facility at the City's municipal airport [which couldn't be limited to JetBlue or to passenger uses], has reached agreement with organizers of the annual Long Beach Marathon to become the event's title sponsor.

A release on JetBlue's website (April 15) indicates that event organizer Run Racing has agreed to give JetBlue "title sponsorship," meaning the race will now be called the "JetBlue Long Beach Marathon" through 2017. JetBlue had been among the event's sponsors since 2005; financial details of the new deal weren't disclosed.

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"As one of JetBlue's six focus cities and home to more than 700 crewmembers, Long Beach has been a special place for the airline since we started service here in 2001," said Lou Anthony, JetBlue's LB Airport general manager in the company release. "Over the last 14 years we've worked to be a good corporate citizen in the community by building relationships with fantastic organizations like Run Racing. We are incredibly proud to have the JetBlue name associated with this annual Long Beach tradition."

Although federal law prohibits using Long Beach Airport direct revenue (from landing fees and the like) to provide citywide services (such as police, fire, infrastructure), passengers flying into LB or other area airports for the Marathon might stay in Long Beach hotels, which would bring the City hotel room taxes and sales taxes for food, drink and souvenirs during the several day event duration. Marketing and cross-promotional tourism opportunities may also be enhanced with JetBlue as a title sponsor. (The race's previous title sponsor was Long Beach-based International City Bank.) "Having a nationally recognized brand like JetBlue become our Title Sponsor truly validates our Marathon event far beyond Southern California," said Bob Seagren, Run Racing CEO in a JetBlue release.

As previously reported by LBREPORT.com, the City Council voted 4-3 on March 3, 2015 (coverage here) to direct city management to halt previously secretive LB Airport work that -- without public input, substantive public discussion or Council voted approval -- extended through 2013 in seeking to lay the groundwork for international flights. The extent of Airport staff's involvement (which city officials initially sought to portray as only preliminary) was evident in internal LB Airport documents sought and obtained under the CA Public Records Act and reported by LBREPORT.com (here and here.)

The Council-direction to management means the Council in a public process -- not Airport staff in a secretive process -- will decide what takes place next. Under the Council's March voted action, a pause remains in effect until 60 days after a new 4th district Councilmember takes office...and that Councilmember will be Daryl Supernaw, who won last night's (April 14) special election. Under the Council-adopted timeline, at some point after early July 2015, the Council could discuss and instruct city management on what issues the Council wants addressed, including enabling public input, before taking any Council voted action(s) on whether to allow a customs facility. In March 2015, city management estimated that gathering the information for Council and public consideration could take several months and extend into early 2016.

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In February 2015 testimony to LB's Airport Advisory Commission, LB City Prosecutor (and former LB Airport Advisory Commissioner) Doug Haubert explained that enabling a customs facility could have unintended consequences, including inviting a new class of operators never before faced by LB Airport -- international passenger and cargo users -- who might seek large aircraft flight slots not currently available under LB's Airport ordinance. The Airport ordinance is the City's protection against locally unlimited number of flights at all hours on all runways.

Disclosure of LB Airport's "below the radar" actions reinvigorated two grassroots groups: LBHUSH2 (which successfully pressed to "right-size" LB Airport terminal improvements, now widely praised by consumers, against efforts by some to "supersize" the Airport) and Neighborhoods First, both of which seek to protect neighborhood quality of life and LB property tax revenue (the city's largest revenue source.) The groups have scheduled an emergency community meeting on April 20 (6:30 p.m.) at the EXPO Art Center, 4321 Atlantic Ave. to discuss recent developments. Organizers say the event will include "public time for questions and the opportunity for new residents ot get up to speed on the litigation history and future concerns for residents impacted by LGB." A scheduled panel discussion will include City Prosecutor/former Airport Advisory Comm'n member Doug Haubert, City Attorney Charles Parkin and Assistant City Attorney Mike Mais.

JetBlue became LB Airport's largest carrier after city officials met secretly with JetBlue reps and in early 2001 agendized a Council item to change the Airport's flight slot allocation rules (not the Airport ordinance itself) to let carriers hold flight slots longer before flying them. (LBREPORT.com "Amnesia File" coverage at this link.) City officials disclose their meetings with JetBlue and told the Council and the public that the Council action woluldn't affect the underlying Airport Ordinance, but the Council's action did exactly that. It ultimately took skillful legal work by the City Attorney's office (which also hired expert aviation counsel), and JetBlue's cooperation, to reach an outcome that satisfied two other carriers and averted a possible federal lawsuit at that time.