Fargo airport just picked up a once daily flight to Atlanta, while GFK is still struggling to add a second daily destination or even an additional Delta flight.
Once the additional gates at Fargo are completed, I have no doubt a couple more destinations will be added not too far after (my bets are Houston, NYC, Seattle, or Washington)
I live in Bemidji and followed Bolte pretty close the past couple of years. Couple of thoughts on him (if a candidate)
1) Salary at BSU is around $110k
2) Winning record every year at BSU in the meat grinder that's the NSIC (61-22)
3) Certainly a defense first coach
4) Roster is mostly MN/WI/IL players, so that pipeline is locked down.
5) Son plays on the BSU football team, wife is a teacher for the school system.
6) He has never played or coached in anything higher than D2.
Eddie George just took Tennessee State to their first playoff birth in many, many, years.
It took some time but did an excellent job of rebuilding the program that was all but dead (with truly little resources).
We need a similar type of coach.
Another suggestion in the hat: Brent Bolte at Bemidji State.
2023 Census Numbers released today here are net gain/loss 2020 to 2023
Grand Forks Metro: - 1,246 (-1.2%)
Fargo Metro: 12,787 (5.1%)
Grand Forks County: -473 (-.6%)
Cass County: 11,845 (6.4%)
The EAS program is one of those untouchable programs in politics. Neither side wants to address it or be on the hook for ending the program. Both North Dakota Senators were strong advocates for both DVL and JMS when they nearly lost service a couple years ago.
It will have to be a hub, so SLC would be the most logical out of those options. NYC is too long and thin route for GFK, plus there are slot issues.
I think there was a flight to SLC from Fargo maybe a decade or so ago but was cut during the great recession.
Any route will be tough as more pilots retires, planes resize, and airlines consolidate.
CUSA is FBS in name only, I went to Mid TN State as an undergrad. CUSA now stretches from Delaware to New Mexico. Living up to it's name as Conference USA