Derby. Billed at the time as the greatest such event in Illinois outside of Chicago, the show included four U.S. Army "ships" from Chanute Field in Rantoul, civilian aviators from places like Aurora, Champaign, Joliet and Kankakee, aerial "stunting" contests and races, parachutists and an air parade over downtown Bloomington. Despite the efforts of local aviation enthusiasts and the business community, attempts to establish long-term passenger service at the Normal field ended in failure. In the fall of 1931, Century Air Lines added Bloomington to its Chicago-to-St. Louis route, and the little grassy square (recently enlarged by 35 acres) now served as an aerial portal to the wider world. Unfortunately the wet winter of 1931-1932 made the field too mushy for the carrier's Stinson tri-motor airplanes. The following spring, American Airways assumed Century's role, but after only two days (May 1–2) the company terminated service to the little airfield, and once more Bloomington lost its place on the air map. Opposition to a municipally operated airport weakened with the promise of federal dollars through the Civil Works Administration, one of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's many "alphabet" New Deal programs. In mid-December 1933, during the height of the Great Depression, local officials settled on a 164-acre site east of Bloomington along Illinois 9. The new airfield (since renamed the Central Illinois Regional Airport—or CIRA for short) was dedicated in late October 1934. Nothing survives of the old airport, but a historic marker near the north end of Constitution Trail commemorates the site. The marker is on the trail's west side, opposite the Kerrick elevators. Much of the airport grounds are now occupied by the unfinished warehouse of shuttered local manufacturer Wildwood Industries. Facilities & Aircraft The airport covers 1,968 acres (796 ha) at an elevation of 871 feet (265 m). It has two runways: runway 2/20 is 8,000 by 150 feet (2,438 x 46 m) concrete and runway 11/29 is 6,525 by 150 feet (1,989 x 46 m) asphalt/concrete. On November 5, 2001, the airport opened a new $14 million terminal building, three times larger than the previous terminal. The new terminal has four ground level boarding gates (Gates 1–4) and five second level gates (Gates 5–9). Gates 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9 have jetways. Gates 1, 2 and 7 are jetway capable but are not currently equipped. The terminal has two baggage carousels at ground level. Conference rooms