Moses Lake is ready for Fairchild crews
Troy Duzon, general manager of AmeriStay Inn & Suites, talks with front desk manager James Valdez Tuesday. Airmen with Fairchild Air Force Base have started to book reservations at AmeriStay, said owner Bob Russell.
MOSES LAKE — AmeriStay Inn & Suites, Big Bend Community College and Columbia Basin Job Corps are preparing for the arrival of 200 airmen from Fairchild Air Force Base later this month.
Although the Moses Lake AmeriStay doesn’t have a contract with Fairchild, the business’s owner, Bob Russell, said Tuesday some airmen booked reservations at AmeriStay.
AmeriStay is located next to Russell’s other Moses Lake businesses, Lake Bowl and Papa’s Casino, which provides entertainment and food for airmen.
“Everyone is excited they’re coming here,” Russell said. “It’s going to have a huge impact on Moses Lake in general. Specifically, I don’t know yet.”
He explained many airmen have the opportunity to stay where they want to while working in Moses Lake.
“What I like about it personally, is it gets the Air Force looking more and more at Grant County International Airport,” Russell said. “To get more eyes looking at Grant County International Airport is really good for the future. It’s a great facility that doesn’t exist in other places.”
Big Bend Community College is providing food and housing for 130 airmen, said Gail Hamburg, the college’s vice president for financial and business services.
It’s expected that airmen will arrive on Jan. 13 and stay for 45 weeks.
The college receives revenue from the contracts, but at this point, contracts are being modified, making revenue amounts unavailable, she said.
“We’re just looking forward to having them on campus,” she said. “We think it’s going to be a really good partnership.”
The college is preparing meals for about 200 people for three meals a day.
The college is also working on a contract with Fairchild for their use of the fitness center.
It’s possible Fairchild wants extended hours for the college’s library, she said.
Columbia Basin Job Corps center Director Peggy Hendren said 128 beds are made available to airmen once Job Corps’ new dorm is completed.
Then airmen can move into existing dorms in April and students can use the new dorm.
The arrangement won’t bring any additional funds to Job Corps because it is another government agency, she said.
The military is responsible for paying the cost of utilities, she said.
If airmen do stay at Job Corps, they will be located in a separate building from students, with an exit facing the street, Hendren explained.