In the early-mid '60s, Charlotte, Birmingham and Atlanta were essentially the same sized large towns/small cities with only regional feeder airports. All were in a position to step up and become the hub of the Southeast. Atlanta Mayor William B. Hartsfield had the foresight to see that building a larger, international airport would be the conduit for greater economic development. Alas, when the new Atlanta Airport was built (granted, too big a facility for Atlanta at the time, and a facility that pales in size to the current airport which is among the two busiest in the world), it wasn't long before more and more businesses relocated to Atlanta. This drove jobs growth and housing growth mightily over the next two decades and elevated the sophistication of a once sleepy little Southern town. Atlanta became "HotLanta" and the rest is history. Unfortunately, along with the boom came Atlanta's world-class gridlock. Ask anyone what single factor helped create Atlanta's major city status and they'll point to the airport. A larger airport in the Panhandle with the capability of international arrivals and departures will be a boom, in time. The challenge will be to appropriately manage the growth when it occurs. It will be a trade-off in terms of positives and negatives -- as everything always seems to be be.
New York Times Article PCB Airport/Beaches
- Thread starter GoodWitch58
- Start date
-
Trouble logging in? Send us a message with your username and/or email address for help.
You can bet the St. Joe Company would not be pushing a new international airport if it would not have a huge positive impact on their investments in the area. The advantage of improved access isn't just that it becomes easier to get here/there or that air fares will be lower. It is direct access to markets where there is a lot more investment money and where Panhandle property prices are still a remarkable value, comparatively. I have seen this dynamic in so many places...Orange County, CA; Phoenix, AZ; Denver, CO; Atlanta, GA; Oakland and Sacramento, CA; Las Vegas, NV; and now even in Seattle, WA. Several of the international carriers just announced direct service into SEATAC, largely via their recognition of the Greater Seattle Area as being the most important urban area in the country in the coming decade. A big part of that is Seattle being the recipient of much of the combined philanthropy of Warren Buffett and Bill/Melinda Gates.
Of course, this is a double-edged sword. Huge growth and soaring property values are great for some, not so great for others who value the area as it exists today. I mean, I was horrified the first time driving along Panama City Beach and seeing those skyway condos! And the North County (Walton) will change radically as a result of all this new growth and the huge demand for service jobs. The resulting impacts are well known from the experience of other similar areas. Hopefully, the County will tackle these entirely predictable problems (access, infrastructure, affordable housing, protection of natural areas and special character) as part of the entitlements for new growth, as opposed to trying to resolve them after the horse is out of the barn. Time will tell.
Of course, this is a double-edged sword. Huge growth and soaring property values are great for some, not so great for others who value the area as it exists today. I mean, I was horrified the first time driving along Panama City Beach and seeing those skyway condos! And the North County (Walton) will change radically as a result of all this new growth and the huge demand for service jobs. The resulting impacts are well known from the experience of other similar areas. Hopefully, the County will tackle these entirely predictable problems (access, infrastructure, affordable housing, protection of natural areas and special character) as part of the entitlements for new growth, as opposed to trying to resolve them after the horse is out of the barn. Time will tell.
FAA Recommends 2nd Atlanta Airport
Last Modified: 5/15/2007 12:28:06 PM
www.11alive.com/news/article_news.aspx?storyid=97074
Hartsfield-Jackson may not be the only major airport in the Atlanta area if officials listen to a recommendation by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation. During a trip to the Atlanta airport Tuesday, Secretary Mary Peters said Atlanta is one of several cities that may need to consider a second airport by 2025.
The report released by the Federal Aviation Administration said in the next 10 to 20 years, Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas, and San Diego will need to expand existing airports, build new ones or find other solutions to meet the country's increasing demand for air travel.
The FAA released the report titled "Capacity Needs in the National Airspace System." It looks at changes in future airport capacity through 2025. Peters was on hand for the news conference at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
Airport. She praised efforts by the city of Atlanta and the airport to address the coming growth, including the construction of a fifth runway and new air traffic control towers.
Both the runway and the towers opened at Hartsfield-Jackson a year ago on May 16, 2006.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report).
Last Modified: 5/15/2007 12:28:06 PM
www.11alive.com/news/article_news.aspx?storyid=97074
Hartsfield-Jackson may not be the only major airport in the Atlanta area if officials listen to a recommendation by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation. During a trip to the Atlanta airport Tuesday, Secretary Mary Peters said Atlanta is one of several cities that may need to consider a second airport by 2025.
The report released by the Federal Aviation Administration said in the next 10 to 20 years, Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas, and San Diego will need to expand existing airports, build new ones or find other solutions to meet the country's increasing demand for air travel.
The FAA released the report titled "Capacity Needs in the National Airspace System." It looks at changes in future airport capacity through 2025. Peters was on hand for the news conference at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
Airport. She praised efforts by the city of Atlanta and the airport to address the coming growth, including the construction of a fifth runway and new air traffic control towers.
Both the runway and the towers opened at Hartsfield-Jackson a year ago on May 16, 2006.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report).
Last edited:
Well, at least it will be interesting to see what happens with the TDC/CVB over there... No wonder they want to call the airport, Emerald Coast, not just Bay County 
http://www.newsherald.com/headlines/article.display.php?a=1331
No wonder they want to call the airport, Emerald Coast, not just Bay County http://www.newsherald.com/headlines/article.display.php?a=1331
Be interesting to see if the name sticks. I can think of a half dozen airports off the top of my head where the common name for them is totally different than the airport's official name. (The significantly long flap over Washington National/Reagan for one)
Talking about the new airport is like starving people in a boat talking about what they want their first meal to be once they are rescued. It ain't gonna help for a while.
But just for fun, I'll jump into the mix. The airport will have an big impact as has been stated (especially the ATL example.). Anidotally, I originally come from MN and it takes my friends 6 hours with a transfer in Memphis or Atlanta to get here. Not too convenient.
But just for fun, I'll jump into the mix. The airport will have an big impact as has been stated (especially the ATL example.). Anidotally, I originally come from MN and it takes my friends 6 hours with a transfer in Memphis or Atlanta to get here. Not too convenient.
Not quite. Your analogy is one which the rescue doesn't have an estimated date for commencement and completion. In fact, the rescue might not happen at all -- not so with the new airport.
Realistically, the airport still has lawsuits and other hurdles to clear. Then good old government construction timetable. So, maybe, maybe, Jan 2010 there will be an airport. If you plan on selling ahead of the need on speculation (will there really be that much of that in this market by then?) then you might sell it around 2010. If you will sell to people who are coming because of the airport, it might be 1-3 years later. I would take my chances on the lifeboat!
I think 6 hours is very convenient, but its all relative I suppose. Most of our visitors who drive here are at least 4 1/2 to 5 hours away (Birm., Atlanta) withouts stops and we get lots of visitors from Chattanooga, Nashville and Memphis which are even further away. In 6 hours we here in SoWal can maybe make to the outskirts of Orlando.