BRADENTON, Fla. — While a nearly year-long dispute over the management of Charlotte Douglas International Airport continues, it will be without the airport's former long-time director, Jerry Orr.
Orr, 72, who was to continue to oversee the airport under a new commission created by the Legislature, told the panel that he will retire Dec. 31, according to the Charlotte Business Journal.
Orr ran the airport for 24 years while it was owned and managed by the city of Charlotte.
Earlier this year, a local bill was passed turning airport management over to a 13-member commission, which has been appointed but has not fully taken over management duties. When the bill passed naming Orr airport director, he resigned from city employment.
City officials filed a lawsuit to retain management of the airport, and it is still pending. The city appointed Brent Cagle as interim airport director.
Charlotte has issued about $694 million of senior-lien airport revenue bonds for Charlotte Douglas, which are rated A-plus by Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor's, and Aa3 by Moody's Investors Service.
