A Bob Hope Airport?

Tim Willert

A campaign to rename the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport after Bob

Hope commenced Tuesday night.

Former Burbank mayor Michael Hastings asked the City Council to

back a proposal to rename the facility after the legendary

entertainer, who died Sunday at 100 of complications from pneumonia.

“We’ve been talking about renaming the airport after Bob Hope,”

said Hastings, a Hope family friend who was accompanied to the

meeting by longtime Hope publicist Ward Grant. “It just seemed to

make sense that this is the time to submit this proposal to the

[cities].”

Hastings asked the council to get behind a committee to explore

the possibility of renaming the airport, and said he would oversee

all fund-raising efforts.

“I’m sure there are going to be some costs incurred, but we don’t

want the entities to be saddled with costs,” Hastings said. “We would

work very hard to have it all funded privately.”

Council members Dave Golonski and Marsha Ramos expressed support

for the proposal, which will be considered at the council’s Aug. 12

meeting.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Golonski said. “I don’t imagine

funding would be an issue.”

Also on Tuesday, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) announced plans to

introduce a congressional resolution to name the city’s downtown post

office, at 135 E. Olive Ave., after Hope.

“I urge my colleagues in the Congress to join me in honoring Bob

Hope’s numerous contributions to our country,” Schiff released in a

statement.

Schiff said he plans to introduce the resolution when Congress

returns from its August recess. The City Council will also consider

whether to support the proposal Aug. 12.