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Ritz Camera ends Leesburg Airport presence
If you didn't snap a picture of the Ritz Camera jet parked at Leesburg Executive Airport, then it's too late. The jet -- a casualty of the recession -- is gone.Facing a difficult financial stretch that is forcing it to close more than 300 stores nationwide, including three in Loudoun, Ritz Camera Centers Inc. this month parted ways with its corporate jet and pulled out as a major tenant at the airport owned by the Town of Leesburg.
In 2008, the company, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this month, built a 25,000-square-foot hangar at the airport to store its 12-seat Falcon 900 jet, as well as other corporations' aircraft.
The hangar is run by RZF Aviation, which was created by Ritz and pilot Andrew Fenton. However, as of April 15, Fenton said, Ritz is no longer associated with RZF Aviation or owns the jet.
Fenton said RZF is looking for new tenants for the hangar.
"We're currently talking to other corporations," he said.
In March, Bloomberg reported that a Delaware judge ordered a Ritz plane grounded when it was determined the camera giant still owed $268,000 in lease fees on the plane. It was not mentioned, though, if this was the Leesburg jet.
Open since October, the Ritz hangar at Leesburg Executive Airport was constructed to accommodate up to seven aircraft, depending on their size. It has kitchen and shower facilities, climate-controlled office space, Web-accessed security cameras and hangar doors with heated tracks to prevent freezing. The hangar is available for use around the clock.
RZF Aviation has a 40-year lease on the hangar, which was built on land owned by the town, according to airport director Tim Deike. When the lease expires, the town will take over control of the hangar, he said.
Town officials are aware of Ritz's financial difficulties. Town Manager John Wells told the Leesburg Economic Development Commission on April 15 that he was "tracking" the situation and had asked town attorneys to look into the lease agreement. If RZF Aviation were to go under, he said, the financial impact to the town would be "minimal."
Fenton said RZF Aviation was still a viable company without Ritz. He also said RZF Aviation was currently reaching out to banks and other investors to help pay for the construction of a fueling facility near the hangar.
"We're a good company," he said. "We're bringing 20 jobs to Leesburg."
Ritz officials did not respond to requests for comment.
To learn more, including information on leasing space at the hangar, see rzfaviation.wordpress.com.
Contact the reporter at jjacks@timespapers.com
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