In 1963 the Brunswick and Bath Board of commerce compiled a report that examined the advantages of having the Brunswick Naval Air Station also serve as a civilian airport. This was an interesting question for the towns of Brunswick and Bath to ask because the joint populations of the two areas during the winter did not equal that of Portland. However, they still thought that it would be in the best interest for the State of Maine and their towns to have a regional airport in Brunswick at the Naval Air Station. Having an airport at the Naval Air Station was practical for the State of Maine because it would limit the amount of regional airports and concentrate airline service to a few major centers in the state. This would better serve the people of Maine because it would limit travel from local airport to local airport to achieve effective airline service. Additionally, it was cost effective to create a civilian airport at the base because the facilities were already constructed and easy to convert for commercial use. The Navy would also help pay for the maintenance of the airport because they would be performing the majority of the flights, and this would save the people and commercial airlines even more money than any other site could offer. Besides money, population was also a factor for the site of the airport. The population for Brunswick and Bath could not match Portland's during the winter, however, during tourist season the population of Brunswick and Bath was about 60,000 more people. Thus it would serve more people and maybe help the Maine tourist industry if the base was also used for civilian use. The most compelling reason why the base should be used for civilian use is that the Navy was behind the plan. They did not see a problem with joint use of the facility. The Navy thought that the plan could be done effectively and efficiently.