Gateway pays $13,000 to add lights at Trump rally

To ensure safety, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport spent $13,000 for additional temporary lighting for President Donald Trump’s October visit there to campaign for Senate candidate Martha McSally.

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport spent $13,000 putting up temporary lighting for President Donald Trump’s October visit there to campaign for GOP Senate candidate Martha McSally.

Airport Executive Director Brian O’Neill informed the airport authority about the emergency expense during its November meeting.

According to airport staff, the Trump campaign was supposed to arrange for lighting of the parking area during the rally, which was not hosted by the airport and was held at a private tenant’s air hangar.

The campaign paid for $15,000 in lighting. However, the airport did not think that would be sufficient to allow people to safely walk to their cars after the rally.

The airport and city of Mesa decided to pay for the additional lighting to avoid what O’Neill said could have been a liability.

The airport’s share of the cost was $13,000. Mesa spokesman Kevin Christopher said in an email that the city was still compiling final numbers on the costs associated with the presidential visit and did not have a breakdown of what the city had spent.

Ryan Smith, a spokesman for the airport, says the airport has not invoiced the campaign but “certainly wouldn’t turn down any reimbursement.”

Campaign officials did not respond to a request for comment.

It’s typical for campaigns and municipalities to sort out reimbursements following a political rally once the entirety of expenses is known.