 The brothers presented the idea to the Government of Norway and SAS , but neither party was interested in investing in an airport . They contacted Kings Bay and asked the company to lease or purchase land to build the airport . The company was positive , but required that the airport remained under Norwegian ownership and regulations . On 22 October 1958 , negotiations started with Vestlandske Flyselskap to start an airline service from the mainland to Svalbard . Financing of the airport was in part to be secured through a Hilton hotel , which would provide accommodation for tourists , and the " Roald Amundsen Institute , " a planned research station . 
