Jump to content

Tallahassee International Airport


97preludesh

Recommended Posts


  • Replies 46
  • Created
  • Last Reply

I like that idea for two reasons:

1) It more to the center of the population base of our area. Instead of bordering a large National Forest.

2) Its more convenient for everyone to use. Face it our airport is in the sticks. Until CC gets widened all the way, road access into it is still going to be limited.

It could be something like the RDU airport which has I-40 running by it and is located about half way between Raleigh and Durham.

Great idea but it will never happen. Sad :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

bighard, you keep throwing out all of these great ideas that you say will never happen. My question is, and I know someone on the boards should know the answer to this, why don't these great ideas ever go further. I know I've had quite a few myself that just sit as words on paper. What does it take to make a great idea materialize?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

$$$$$$

Need I say any more.

Tallahassee has a long history of being anti-growth and anti-business. Along with being very short sited in there planning for the future. Look at Capital Circle for example, it should have been at least widen to 4 four lanes during the 1970's. By the time the 1980's and 90's arrived we were way behing the growth curve. Its only been in the last 10 years that Tallahassee has built any roads to speak of.

I have lived in the Tallahassee area my whole life and I can tell you that it survives despite itself. I would like nothing more than for Tallahassee to have a more pro-business atmosphere and be progressive in its investment for the future. The NIMBY movement around here is very strong and its attitude toward everyone else. Well I made my money and damn the rest. I built my house in the woods and now no one else can move here but me. The folks that "have the money" have no desire to reinvest in the community. Well maybe not all of them but most of them.

Also the State government doesn't want Tallahassee to grow and be competitive in the business world because it would loose its pool of cheap labor it draws from. Thus in the long run they would have to raise wages to draw workers back into state goverment.

You want to make the Airport grow or relocate, private investment is where its at. If we had some sort of large corporate presence all of our dreams would come true. Look at every major city in this country with a great and functional airport, they have some sort of coporation or coporations that drive the business there. RDU as I mentioned has the Research triangle right beside it.

The invest into the research triangle started decades ago and has now blossumed into the Raleigh Durham metro we have today. Many years ago Raleigh was just like Tallahassee. It was a college town with state goverment. It did not grow until they formed a vision and a plan to make it happen.

Yes we need and could do something like that here. It is the present political and social climate around Tallahassee that I feel is not going to let it happen any time soon. Tallahassee has made some progress with this in recent years but it has a long way to go until it gets on the radar of Corporate America.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My question is, and I know someone on the boards should know the answer to this, why don't these great ideas ever go further. I know I've had quite a few myself that just sit as words on paper. What does it take to make a great idea materialize?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

YES YES YES...... Your on the right track.

South Georgia is much more receptive to this sort of thing. Per capita I bet there is way more private industry there than here in Tally.

Flowers Bakery is just a few minutes up the road from Monticello in Thomasville. There are other companies there like Catapillar too.

I would say an airport like were talking about Tally would fill about 1/2 of the travel. Those other cities mentioned with the industry they have would defiently fill the rest.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is our true Tallahassee/Southern Georgia Market population size (2005) according to Wikapedia.

Albany Metro 163,962

Valdosta Metro 126,205

Thomas County 43,692 (Thomasville)

Tift County 40,793 (Tifton)

Colquit County 44,821 (Moultrie)

Decatur County 28,618 (Bainbridge)

Grady County 24,466 (Cairo)

__________

Total Southern Georgia 472,656

Tallahassee Metro +334,886

------------------

Total New CMSA 807,542 :yahoo:

(CMSA) Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (2005) ---- proposed Tallahassee/Southern Ga. CMSA

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i think the key to getting this to ever happen would be to get a local politician to champion the cause. letters are nice, but someone with some big pull would really have to push for this.

however, like all things in Tallytown, I expect that no change will occur until after PC Intl. opens and starts grinding TLH into the ground. Wait until people drive over there en mass for cheaper fares... but by then it may be too late. Why is this not a larger issue? Do any of our local politicians see the clouds on the horizon?

History is full of instances where transportation choices made by one city lead to the demise/lack of growth of another. Are we this centuries St. Joseph? (I know it was yellow fever that killed it off but I needed something quick) Will the last passenger at TLH please turn the light off. :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i think the key to getting this to ever happen would be to get a local politician to champion the cause. letters are nice, but someone with some big pull would really have to push for this.

however, like all things in Tallytown, I expect that no change will occur until after PC Intl. opens and starts grinding TLH into the ground. Wait until people drive over there en mass for cheaper fares... but by then it may be too late. Why is this not a larger issue? Do any of our local politicians see the clouds on the horizon?

History is full of instances where transportation choices made by one city lead to the demise/lack of growth of another. Are we this centuries St. Joseph? (I know it was yellow fever that killed it off but I needed something quick) Will the last passenger at TLH please turn the light off. :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well his Seattle reference was classy in my opinion. Anyways, a new airport north of town would be built on some very expensive real estate, but if it could be built just outside say, Thomasville, it might be more reasonable (as reasonable as a new airport around here could be anyways). What would the regulations be on an airport serving two states? What I mean is, who would invest in it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've read and appreciated all that has been said regarding the airport this far. However, I'm personally not fond of the idea of Tallahassee building a new airport, when our current facility has the proper accommodations. I recognize the danger we are in with the pending construction of PC's new Intl. Airport, but I don't think our answer to this movement is to abandon ours. Here's what I think we should do:

  • Tallahassee's airport needs to get a customs office so it can become an international airport.

  • We need to do a serious renovation of the facility. Modernization is key.

  • We need to more aggressively market our place as the Capital Region's Airport.

  • We need to continue to pursue a low-cost carrier.

  • And Capital Circle SW must be completed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I speak of a renovation consider the following images as examples:

Tallahassee

FujiShots048.jpg

Looking toward Gate B you'll see that although there is plenty of light coming through the window, the combination of the ceiling and the floor make for a rather dark looking interior.

Flint, MI

FujiShots008.jpg

Flints airport only had 2 gateways. The one seen in this picture and another just like it on the other side. Notice how, although it is dark outside there is plenty of comfortable light inside. The design is very unique and the seating configuration modern and comfortable.\

Tallahassee

FujiShots051.jpg

This is our security area, looking outward. Please take a good look at it. I'm sure by now, it looks a lot different having undergone a major renovation, but when I last flew this is what I saw.

TSATLH.jpg

Security Area enhancements underway.

Flint, MI

FujiShots010.jpg

Having arrived at night, there was virtually no light coming into the airport from outside, however as you should notice the uniquely raised ceiling and lighting scheme, makes for a more inviting atmosphere. In this image we are looking toward the security area.

Flint, MI

FujiShots011.jpg

This is what you see when you walk into Flint's airport. Essentially it is identical to ours in layout, but there's makes much more of a statement. I'm sure ours made a statement long ago when it was built, but this is 2007 not 1987. Notice the signage, the car parked car, the artistic touches in the design. These people enjoy visiting this nice modern airport.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the malls are a poor example. There is a large base of college students here that make great customers for the malls. For an airport? It doesn't cost that much to drive to anywhere in Florida at least compared to TLH airline tickets. Thus our main consumers don't NEED the airport. Heck, even state employees are discouraged from flying.

I think we are dealing with a chicken and the egg issue. Yes, we need to improve the airport service, but we need to give the airlines a reason to take a risk here. AirTran was not able to complete because Delta drove them out of the market. If we had more traffic coming though the airport, that wouldn't have been an issue. AirTran and Delta would have both filled seats.

We need more industry first. Industry that had a reason to fly out somewhere (or have people fly in). State employees and College students just don't need the airport as much as corp businesses and the like.

Fayetteville, AR has a smaller airport than we do (in actual size). They are a college town about our size. But they keep adding connections to thier airport. They have two major corporate headquarters there (Walmart and Tyson Chicken), but they are STILL a regional airport.

I really don't think internation status should be our goal. We need to get more connections to other airports. We need to try to break Delta's strangle hold on our market to lower prices so it is fesiable to fly to Orlando, West Palm, Miami.

Frankly I don't know how to accomplish this. We tried to get a discount carrier before but it was poor timing due to 9-11. Perhaps we can get someone else to take a risk again?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm really LOVIN this discussion :rolleyes:

The reason I feel we need to change direction is because right now we are boxed in by economic conditions driven by airline models that thrive on lower capacity and high load factors. (and horrible service) We can't wish this away.

However, we can think outside the box and look at alternatives that make the ENTIRE region winners. Presently, we are STUCK! If we actively pursue our South Georgia metros to join us, we can leverage our marketability. Again, I say look at Cincinnati and NORTHERN Kentucky. If you visit their airport site and area tourism sites activities, you we see they have completely married themselves to be an effective economic engine. This is what we all want to see. This is how we can win:

  1. Convert our present airport location to General Aviation and Cargo ONLY

  2. Build a new airport just south of Thomasville, Ga. (very cheap land) and accessible to all.

  3. Redefine the market as Tallahassee/Southern Georgia

  4. Redefine our census to reflect us as one region as an CMSA (consolidated metropolitan statistical area) representing 850,000 people

  5. Market able to position itself as pro-business due to Valdosta, Albany and Thomasville pro business environments. We already have the ONLY Fortune 500 company in the area in Thomasville.

  6. We pick up the military market in the Marines from Albany, Moultrie, and the Air Force Base in Valdosta.

  7. Airlines will see us as a growth opportunity that gives us a far better chance to land Southwest and Air Tran due to market size. We break Delta's stranglehold on the market.

  8. Infrastructure improvements such as high speed rail link form downtown Tallahassee, Albany, and Valdosta to the airport.

  9. FL, you get to have a cheesecake factory because we qualify due to market size.

  10. We get to experience true regional growth that w dream about on this forum.

Well, I'm all spent out. What do you all think??????
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[*]Convert our present airport location to General Aviation and Cargo ONLY

[*]Build a new airport just south of Thomasville, Ga. (very cheap land) and accessible to all.

[*]Redefine the market as Tallahassee/Southern Georgia

[*]Redefine our census to reflect us as one region as an CMSA (consolidated metropolitan statistical area) representing 850,000 people

[*]Market able to position itself as pro-business due to Valdosta, Albany and Thomasville pro business environments. We already have the ONLY Fortune 500 company in the area in Thomasville.

[*]We pick up the military market in the Marines from Albany, Moultrie, and the Air Force Base in Valdosta.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.