The new name is much better. It will become shortened to "Beaches International" in common parlance. Nobody calls DCA Ronald Reagan National Airport -- it gets shortened to "Reagan National" (for locals it's still "National"). Nobody calls it George Bush Houston Intercontinental -- it's still "Houston Intercontinental."
I think the region as a whole needs to start thinking about what the new airport -- and the arrival of Southwest Airlines -- will actually mean. IMHO. This will have a huge impact on everything between the 'cola's.' The beaches of NW Florida have been, until now, the best beaches in the world that no one could get to. If you live beyond a day's drive, it's a chore to get to South Walton or Bay County. That changes when Southwest starts making (I predict) daily non stops from the Mid Atlantic Region -- the midwest and maybe even from Texas (where Southwest Airlines is the only way to go.)
Right now -- it costs a family of four somewhere in the neighborhood of $1200 to $1500 dollars to make a round trip flight from DC to the region. The cheapests flights go to Pensacola, which means you still have a 90 minute drive in a rental car. Not only was it expensive, it it could take 8 to 10 hours - and that's if you did not get stuck in Atlanta.
If Southwest (as I hope and pray it does) has a direct flight from the Washington, DC area -- the commute to my place on 30A will be trimmed to about 3.5 hours door to door. Cost could come down by 50%.
Folks that is a BIG game-changer. I would be able to get to the pristine sugar white beaches of NW Florida QUICKER than I could get to the muddy brown waters of Ocean City, Maryland during peak season.
The world is about to beat a path to your door. Get Ready. The decisions made by civic, business and governmental leaders in the next 5 to 10 years will reverberate forever. There must be a thoughtful regional approach. The Beaches of Northwest Florida can continue to be a special place --- or develop into something else entirely. Do not underestimate the importance of this time and place.
I think the region as a whole needs to start thinking about what the new airport -- and the arrival of Southwest Airlines -- will actually mean. IMHO. This will have a huge impact on everything between the 'cola's.' The beaches of NW Florida have been, until now, the best beaches in the world that no one could get to. If you live beyond a day's drive, it's a chore to get to South Walton or Bay County. That changes when Southwest starts making (I predict) daily non stops from the Mid Atlantic Region -- the midwest and maybe even from Texas (where Southwest Airlines is the only way to go.)
Right now -- it costs a family of four somewhere in the neighborhood of $1200 to $1500 dollars to make a round trip flight from DC to the region. The cheapests flights go to Pensacola, which means you still have a 90 minute drive in a rental car. Not only was it expensive, it it could take 8 to 10 hours - and that's if you did not get stuck in Atlanta.
If Southwest (as I hope and pray it does) has a direct flight from the Washington, DC area -- the commute to my place on 30A will be trimmed to about 3.5 hours door to door. Cost could come down by 50%.
Folks that is a BIG game-changer. I would be able to get to the pristine sugar white beaches of NW Florida QUICKER than I could get to the muddy brown waters of Ocean City, Maryland during peak season.
The world is about to beat a path to your door. Get Ready. The decisions made by civic, business and governmental leaders in the next 5 to 10 years will reverberate forever. There must be a thoughtful regional approach. The Beaches of Northwest Florida can continue to be a special place --- or develop into something else entirely. Do not underestimate the importance of this time and place.
