SYRACUSE — The Syracuse–area business community has been asking for direct air service from Syracuse to Denver for a while now.

The annual air-development survey by CenterState CEO asks businesses what they feel are the “most important” destinations for their work, both domestically and around the globe, according to Robert Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState CEO. 

“For at least five years running, the number one destination that our business community has asked for is direct service to Denver,” said Simpson. 

Simpson was among the speakers at Syracuse Hancock International Airport for the Feb. 14 announcement that United Airlines, Inc. planned to start offering daily, year-round, non-stop service to Denver International Airport from Syracuse beginning June 6. 

Simpson recalled how he and some airport officials, including former executive director Christina Callahan, traveled to Chicago to meet with United Airlines. They told United about what they believed was happening in Central New York with “growth and investment and new opportunity like this phenomenal facility,” referring to the renovated Syracuse airport.

United Airlines, Simpson noted, “took their time,” doing its due diligence and “validated” the story that they had shared.

“It cannot be understated how important good air-service connections are to our growth and vitality. It is a global business environment and our ability to get to global, world-class cities like Denver is critically important to our competitiveness,” said Simpson.

In its discussions with the local business community, the airport heard a “consistent message” that people want more direct service to more cities, Christina Callahan, outgoing executive director of Syracuse Hancock International Airport, said in her remarks to open the Feb. 14 announcement, the day before she left for a job at LaGuardia Airport in New York City.

“We want service to cities out west. We want to make our commute to the West Coast easier, but what we really want is direct service to Denver,” said Callahan, paraphrasing the input that airport officials had been hearing. 

The new flight “improves connection opportunities to popular destinations” including Las Vegas and Reno in Nevada; San Diego and Palm Springs in California; and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, as well as creating a way for New Yorkers to travel to places like Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Billings, Montana, Medford, Oregon and Santa Barbara, California “with just one stop,” per Syracuse Regional Airport Authority’s (SRAA) news release. 

Tickets are now available for purchase for the flight, the authority added.

After the formal announcement, a CNYBJ reporter asked Callahan if Hancock Airport offered United Airlines any incentives to attract the new Denver service to Syracuse. 

“United is eligible for our very robust incentive program, which includes a combination of fee waivers and assistance with marketing and advertising,” said Callahan. “Our objectives with our incentive program is to make their entry in these new markets as easy as possible and also to get the word out that we now have this great new service out of Syracuse.” 

SYRACUSE — The 15th annual Downtown Syracuse Dining Weeks promotion continues through March 3 with a “record” 47 Syracuse restaurants participating. 

The promotion has 37 restaurants serving three-course dinners for $30 or less, while 27 restaurants are offering three-course lunches for $10 or less, the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc. said in a news release.

A list of all participating Downtown Dining Weeks restaurants is available at the website of the Downtown Committee. 

The program, designed to help boost business during what typically tends to be a slower dining season, attracts as many as 50,000 diners from Onondaga, Cortland, Madison, Oneida, and Oswego counties.

“Downtown Dining Weeks offers unique opportunities to sample the high-quality, unique flavors of the locally-owned restaurants and variety of cuisines that Downtown Syracuse is known for,” Merike Treier, executive director of the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, said. “It’s amazing to see how much the event has grown in 15 years. It seems like every year, neighbors start to ask us which restaurants are participating and when the menus will be posted earlier and earlier, solidifying Downtown Dining Weeks’ status as one of the most highly-anticipated events of the year.”

Sleep-over package 

During Downtown Dining Weeks, guests who stay at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown, the Jefferson Clinton Hotel, Courtyard by Marriott at Armory Square, and the Residence Inn by Marriott at Armory Square will receive a $25 discount off their room rate. 

All they need to do is show a receipt from a participating Downtown Dining Weeks restaurant, the Downtown Committee said. 

The promotion continues through March 3.

Food Bank of Central New York partnership 

Diners can also help the Food Bank of Central New York stock its food pantries during Downtown Dining Weeks.

Participating restaurants have gift envelopes to distribute to guests. Patrons can ask their server for an envelope, and mail a donation to the Food Bank once they get home.

At the same time, four downtown parking facilities will collect non-perishable food items for the Food Bank. In return for their donations, patrons will be able to park at the Atrium Garage, Clinton Street Garage, the surface lot at Fayette and Walton Streets, and the surface lot at Fayette and Clinton Streets for $5 — beginning at 5 p.m., Sunday through Thursday during Downtown Dining Weeks.

Chef’s hat contest 

Patrons are also encouraged to participate in a “fun contest” to win gift certificates to participating Downtown Dining Weeks restaurants.

Each restaurant will have a chef’s hat “hidden in plain sight” within its dining area(s). Diners are encouraged to spot the chef’s hat, take a picture of it, and email the picture — or a thorough description of where they saw it — to mail@downtownsyracuse.com. 

All correct guesses will be entered into multiple drawings for gift cards/gift certificates, the Downtown Committee said.