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Charlotte-Douglas Airport (CLT) Expansion


uptownliving

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http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/morning-edition/2013/07/new-clt-bill-under-consideration.html

 

The new concept is something I think I can get behind much more readily.  For the city to retain ownership and to appoint most of the commissioners was always what seemed like a more prudent concept than confiscation with too much control from previously outside forces.  

 

It is still political retaliation for Charlotte being mainly a democratic stronghold (as all cities tend to be due to exurban flight of people who tend to be republican), but at least this is not a total confiscation.

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http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/morning-edition/2013/07/new-clt-bill-under-consideration.html

 

The new concept is something I think I can get behind much more readily.  For the city to retain ownership and to appoint most of the commissioners was always what seemed like a more prudent concept than confiscation with too much control from previously outside forces.  

 

It is still political retaliation for Charlotte being mainly a democratic stronghold (as all cities tend to be due to exurban flight of people who tend to be republican), but at least this is not a total confiscation.

True, but the Observer has just posted that the compromise failed because Charlotte wasn't on board (pun not intended).  They were never invited to the table.

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I am getting the sense that the legislature has been recently informed that the city's lawsuit has considerable merit. The folks in Raleigh look to be scrambling to save face, and it also appears that the city is simply giving Raleigh the middle finger. (I would do the same thing)

 

Why else would Samulsen et al. independently come up with a 'compromise' that gave the state so little of what it originally wanted?

 

EDIT: The state is also getting wishywashy about its seizure of the Asheville water system. The legislature has been threatening Asheville with 'additional legislation' unless the city settles its lawsuit against the state. Sounds like they are taking the bad cop approach up there.

 

EDIT 2: The current observer article suggests that the bonds are the sticking point. You would think that lawmakers would actually know the legal implications of their decisions before acting.....

Edited by kermit
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I am getting the sense that the legislature has been recently informed that the city's lawsuit has considerable merit. The folks in Raleigh look to be scrambling to save face, and it also appears that the city is simply giving Raleigh the middle finger.

 

Why else would Samulsen et al. come up with a 'compromise' that gave the state so little of what it originally wanted?

She probably realizes that in addition to "water balloons" we also have ballots.

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My point was just as McCrory sometimes claims he has no control over things the Legislature does (which I highly doubt), I doubt Foxx (despite signing a pledge) will have 0 influence. Just as Ajfunder alluded to.

I hope you are correct about Foxx.

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Cotham posted a video showing how the NC Legislature rammed the vote through - giving proof to their lies that they tried to work with or listen to Charlotte's objections.  I do think this will be part of the city's lawsuit.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy8U56zOpBI&feature=youtu.be&noredirect=1

 

EDIT:  CBJ has an article on it.  I love the point raised by WRAL about how the vote was sneaked in as well 

 

During a hastily-called House Rules Committee meeting for which no agenda was offered in advance, House Republican caucus Co-chairwoman Ruth Samuelson re-offered a new airport bill that she had angrily withdrawn from the same committee just two hours earlier.

Edited by Urbanity
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Cotham posted a video showing how the NC Legislature rammed the vote through - giving proof to their lies that they tried to work with or listen to Charlotte's objections.  I do think this will be part of the city's lawsuit.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy8U56zOpBI&feature=youtu.be&noredirect=1

 

EDIT:  CBJ has an article on it.  I love the point raised by WRAL about how the vote was sneaked in as well 

I know voters tend to have short memories, but I think this might just be the nail in the coffin of her re-election bid.    

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I know voters tend to have short memories, but I think this might just be the nail in the coffin of her re-election bid.    

That's the oddest take I heard of this.  Everyone I know is applauding her right now.  

EDIT  - Wait - Are you talking Cotham or Samuelson?

Edited by Urbanity
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That's the oddest take I heard of this.  Everyone I know is applauding her right now.  

EDIT  - Wait - Are you talking Cotham or Samuelson?

Talking about Samuelson.  Everyone I know wants her head on a pike.  Even the Observer poll in May found that, by a 3-1 margin, Charlotte voters want the city to keep control over the airport. Another poll of Charlotte voters found only 16 percent supported an airport authority.

 

If you're referring to Cotham, she's to be applauded.  

Edited by Miesian Corners
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http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayinthesky/2013/07/30/report-eu-to-ok-american-us-airways-merger/2598693/

 

Very interesting, the new American has to give up two daily Heathrow flights from Philly... Currently the airport has two flights a day on US to Heathrow and two flights a day on BA. I really wonder if they will just switch the flights to Gatwick and keep the two BA flights to Heathrow or will this move signal a slow gradual shift out of Philly. I'm not sure if this will be the beginning of the end for Philly because there would have been no reason Qatar would begin flying to Philadelphia if American would wind that hub down...

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^ As I understand things:

  • This is only one flight (I believe a slot pair is for the roundtrip).  And US only has 1 flight currently on that route.  
  • Once the merger happens, the 2 BA flights essentially just add into the AA mix, since there's revenue sharing.  The question would be whether they keep those two as BA strictly, or switch one to AA?
  • I'm not sure whether they can dictate which exact slot is given up, or whether it's just giving up a slot pair.  AA could drop a flight from somewhere else in order to keep the same level of service on that route, if that's what they want.
  • If no one else is interested in flying this route, it might come back to AA anyway (which I think is fairly likely).

Ultimately, I don't believe there's any way that they'll drop much if any service in Philadelphia, and that in the end AA and BA will fly at least 3 flights on that route.

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I'm glad to see our state reps get a dose of their own medicine. Not just because people outside the city of Charlotte have no business running our airport, but also because it would have sent a real bad precedent. Who knows what they'd go after next if this legislation went through.

Edited by wend28
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I'm glad to see our state reps get a dose of their own medicine. Not just because people outside the city of Charlotte have no business running our airport, but also because it would have sent a real bad precedent. Who knows what they'd go after next if this legislation went through.

 

The airport is a regional asset, as such the region should at least have a consultative role with airport decisions.  While I may not agree with the current political / oversight structure of the airport, I sure as heck don't agree with the state forcing a change when management is able to effectively operate within the current situation.

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The airport is a regional asset, as such the region should at least have a consultative role with airport decisions.  While I may not agree with the current political / oversight structure of the airport, I sure as heck don't agree with the state forcing a change when management is able to effectively operate within the current situation.

So suburbanites flee big bad Charlotte for the hinterlands, yet are still afforded a say in what happens here?  Sorry, not buying that argument at all.  The largest single land use in Charlotte-Mecklenburg should NOT be governed by someone in Boger City or Landis.

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Yeah, I don't get the argument that the region should have a say, even a consultative one.  Why should they?  You want a say, move to the city.  Otherwise, be happy and thankful that you live close to a major city with a fantastic airport...or fly out of Hickory Regional. 

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The airport is a regional asset, as such the region should at least have a consultative role with airport decisions. While I may not agree with the current political / oversight structure of the airport, I sure as heck don't agree with the state forcing a change when management is able to effectively operate within the current situation.

Downtown Charlotte is the regions largest asset. Why not give Surrounding counties a seat at city council.... If they had a seat at city affairs, we'd have no arena, no baseball stadium, no light rail.... Not sure why anyone think Lincoln would be able to run a real airport (one of the worlds largest). No offense at all, I think surrounding counties are ignorant to urban needs

Edit: when it was proposed, Raleigh even had 2 appointments to the airport. Charlotte even benefits Greenville, SC with companies loving the Charlotte-Munich flights on Lufthansa (I think BMW is one of the companies?). Like 80-90% of our traffic is connecting traffic. Does the entire east coast get a say in the airport? Does city XYZ deserve a seat at the table because their community relies on XYZ-Charlotte-ABC flights? Charlotte is the only city that serves some cities...

Edited by AirNostrumMAD
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One also has to consider that surrounding interests said they would like a seat on the authority but wanted assurance that their airports would not fall under the same control.  Instant disqualifier in my opinion. That hypocrisy is as great as the "behind the scenes" business interests who hope to profit from increased say in the airport, nearby land development and contractual relationships with the airport.

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