Sunsations Sole Vendor for Air Show

OCEAN CITY - The Ocean City Air Show is moving along as planned, reported show officials this week, as they presented the Mayor and Council with an update on the show and scheduled performers.

The Ocean City Air Show will be held Tuesday, June 10 and Wednesday, June 11 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. A rehearsal day is scheduled for Monday, June 9 as well as an open house at the Ocean City Airport. The majority of the event is centered on 16^th Street, with ground displays along 15^th, 16^th, and 17^th streets from the Boardwalk to Baltimore Ave. Displays will also be set up in the Inlet parking lot, and visitors will have a chance to view the planes and talk to pilots at the airport.

Organizer for the event, Bryan Lilley, presented the Mayor and Council with an updated list of performers this week, ensuring the council that the show is coming together as planned.

Four demonstrations have been added to the event, reported Lilley. The United States Air Force F-15 Eagle and F-16 Viper will be doing flyover demonstrations along with the US Air Force P-51 Mustang. The Geico Skytyper Demonstration has also signed on to the event and will be sky typing massive letters across the sky prior to and during the event. Sky typed letters are roughly the size of the Empire State Building and can be seen from 400 square miles, said Lilley. 'It's probably the biggest billboard we could get on the beach,' he said.

The recently added demo teams will join the US Jet team, a three-jet aerial demonstration team, the U.S. Army Golden Knights, a skydiving aerial demo team, and the U.S. Air Force Reserve Biplane.

Lilley noted that they are still in negotiations to add other demonstration teams and aircraft to the show.

Lilley reported to the Mayor and Council that a tentative agreement has been reached with Sunsations for air show related merchandise, such as t-shirts and hats, to be sold at the event as well as in all Sunsations stores. The town, as well as Sunsations, will receive a profit from all merchandise sales.

Council member Margaret Pillas questioned whether other Boardwalk stores and vendors were offered the opportunity to sell the merchandise. 'I think you need to open it to other people,' she said.

However, others agreed with the choice. 'I think that the opportunity for control with one vendor would be to our advantage,' said Council member Jay Hancock.

Lilley agreed that having one vendor would allow for more control, noting their preference to move forward with a sole vendor.

The council voted six to one, with Council member Pillas in opposition, to approve the selling of merchandise through Sunsations.