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The major urban focus areas of the study were the Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, commonly referred to as the 'Twin Cities." The study's sponsor was the Metropolitan Council, the regional planning and coordinating agenry that serves aseven-county azea covering 3,000 squaze miles and more than two million people. The Metropolitan Council has been in e~dstence 22 years, guiding the region's growth and contributing significantly to its quality of life. The Council sets a general dtrectioa for future development patterns and establishes guidelines that support development patterns and assists in making decisions about major regional facilities, like airports, that support development is the azea.' A wide range of aviation facilities aze available throughout the Metropolitan Council study area to accommodate general aviation, commercial service, and heliwpter activity. These individual airports, scattered throughout the region, are discussed in greater detail in the following section. The focus of this study, however, is the reliever airport system. The demand for a region's aviation facilities is influenced by the demographic and economic characteristics of that region. Regions that aze characterized by a growing, population, having the economic means to utilize air transportation, generally show a need for a well developed aviation system. Also important to the demand for aviation facilities is a diversified economic base, which indicates a stable economy that will sustain continued demand for aviation activity. In recognition of these factors, the demographic characteristics and economic base of the Metropolitan region were analyzed as part of this study. The demographic character of the Twia Cities is similaz to other lazge cities. Historically, a wave of young adults ("baby-boomers' has fueled rapid growth in the housing and labor force during the last 15 years, despite drastically slower population growth. The inconsistenry between population growth and development cannot continue much longer. This slowdown will not be unique ' Metropolitan Council's Citizen's Guide, 1989. I-3