[11/23/02]The 16 area businessmen seeking to keep the Vicksburg Municipal Airport open have been granted another extension of time to seek a rehearing before the Supreme Court.

Justices granted the plaintiffs, who first filed suit against the City of Vicksburg in 1998, until Dec. 16. Last month, the court ruled that the city could close the airport on U.S. 61 South and ordered that an injunction that has kept that facility open since 1999 should be lifted.

In a motion filed Nov. 5, the plaintiffs had been given until Friday to seek a rehearing.

In all, justices ruled in favor of the city in eight questions brought by the plaintiffs and the attorneys for the city. In all, six lawsuits have been filed by attorneys for both sides along with multiple appeals and cross appeals.

Litigation began after a 2-1 vote in 1998 by the Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen to shut down the city-owned airport in favor of using the land for industrial development. The new administration in office today has not said if it will support closing the airport.

Meanwhile, the city has continued supporting the regional airport in Mound. Vicksburg is a one-fourth owner of Vicksburg Tallulah Regional Airport along with Warren County, Tallulah and Madison Parish.

Vicksburg discontinued funding the Mound airport from the time the first lawsuit was filed until the authority was formed in 1999. Warren County also held funding for the airport to avoid being caught up in the suits, but also resumed funding after the authority was formed.

Warren County has never been part of the litigation.