ATLANTA – At all levels, metro Atlanta's and Georgia's government and business leaders are reaching out across the Southeast to garner support for Delta Air Lines' bid to win a direct passenger air route from Atlanta to Shanghai.

“It's all hands on deck, with leaders reaching out to their peers across the Southeast for support – governor to governor, Congressman to Congressman, mayor to mayor, chamber to chamber,” said R. Mason Cargill, Partner with Jones Day International Law Firm, and leader of a Metro Atlanta Chamber panel of top business leaders and representatives from the State of Georgia, the City of Atlanta and Hartsfield-Jackson Airport who are working to support the bid.

Cargill's comments come as Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that he has gathered signatures from 10 Southeastern governors (Gov. Perdue plus nine others) supporting the bid, Mayor Shirley Franklin is reaching out to mayors across the region, and Georgia's Congressional delegation is supporting the bid at the federal level. The Chamber is spearheading an effort to gather support for the bid from chambers of commerce across 14 states.

“We've learned that when it comes to economic development in the global marketplace, you've got to establish direct air routes and diplomatic ties – and then companies come,” Cargill added. “We're pushing hard for this air route as well as a new People's Republic of China consulate in Atlanta . The Atlanta-Shanghai route would be a win not just for Delta, but for metro Atlanta and the Southeast. ”

Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce President Sam A. Williams said Delta is well positioned to compete for a designation to serve China in 2008, and Atlanta is the right choice.

“As the U.S. Department of Transportation makes its decision, we hope it will consider that while more passengers come through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport than any airport in the world, the Southeast is still the only region in the United States with no direct passenger access to China ,” Williams said. “The Southeast is the fastest growing region in the country, and trade with China has seen explosive growth during the last 10 years.”

Key Facts:

• Atlanta is the world's largest airline hub, with Delta serving more than 170 domestic and almost 80 international destinations from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport .

• Atlanta-Shanghai service would have an economic impact on the Southeast of more than $400 million annually.

• The Southeast is the fastest growing regions in the U.S. and has become one of China 's most important trading partners, but it is the only region of the U.S. without direct service to China .

• The Southeast region comprises 14 states and territories: Alabama , Arkansas , Florida , Georgia , Kentucky , Louisiana , Mississippi , North Carolina , PuertoRico , South Carolina , Tennessee , US Virgin Islands, Virginia and West Virginia .

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The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce – with our 4,000 member companies that collectively employ more than 700,000 workers – is a catalyst for a vibrant metro region. Over the last 140 years, the Chamber has been bringing the region’s leaders together to tackle the issues that matter most to the business community: quality jobs and quality of life.

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