By TOM DAYKIN

The Midwest Airlines maintenance hangar that the carrier's corporate parent operates in Milwaukee doesn't enjoy free rent, as implied by Denver's mayor.

The issue arose after Republic Airways Holdings Inc. announced Tuesday it will shift airline jobs from Denver to Milwaukee.

Indianapolis-based Republic, which owns both Midwest Airlines and Denver-based Frontier Airlines, plans to add 800 jobs at Midwest facilities in Milwaukee and Oak Creek. That includes 300 maintenance positions that will be relocated from Frontier's Denver maintenance hangar.

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper said city officials fought to keep those jobs in Denver.

"Milwaukee has something we don't: free hangar space," Hickenlooper said in a statement. "We offered every incentive conceivable to Republic Airways, but we can't pay their rent for them."

However, Midwest does pay rent for the hangar at Mitchell International Airport.

Midwest uses two connected hangar buildings at Mitchell. One of the hangar sections, built in 1988, is owned by the airline. The second, newer portion was built in 1998 and is owned by Milwaukee County.