Capital Region International Airport

[hood 1]

The LSJ reported on the master plan at Capitol City today Capital City eyes new name. The Airport's plans include a new terminal and runway, they estimate costs at $308.6 million, that seems like a sort of exact number for a visionary plan. You may want to check out Capitol Cities master plan reports here: CAPITAL CITY AIRPORT MASTER PLAN

It includes tons of info on how large facilities will be, where they will be ect. In it they also say that Captol City will have to become an international airport, which is part of the reasoning behind a new terminal.

BTW, I'll go with the new name of Lansing International Airport. (to me their idea of mid-michigan airport, ect, are just dumb sounding.)

[Lmichigan 7]

IMO, I like the sound of Capital City Airport, and would really just like it to add "International" to its name. Capital City International Airport has a nice ring to it.

Knowing many of the old-time locals here, though, I'm sure someone's going to try to get it named Olds or REO International. lol They want everything named after Olds. Even the freeway that took down his house. lol

As for the actual expansion (which is still quite a few years off), I hope that can have the same success Flint's Bishop Airport has had. That is an EXCELLENT example of a small airport that grew right, and it's routinely ranked among the top 5 fastest growing airports, though they've pretty much hit their mark, now. The current Capital City Airport terminal is a disgrace. I mean, it functions well for what it does but it is so drap without any character. There is little there to make you feel like you've arrived in the capital city of Michigan.

[hood 1]

Here are a few pieces of their master plan:

[GR8scott 74]

I flew out of LAN on new years dues to orbitz pricing and my thoughts of the airport were mixed. Heres some random thoughts.....

I terminal was appropriate size and I liked the covered drive which GRR has a half-assed one that really doesnt protect you from anything but sun. Its mostly very 70s but the first couple gates are hideous, it looks like what you would expect landing in yellowknike, yukon or something. The restruant food was good. There were some cool coorporate hangers. Like GRR there is not really direct highway or DT access which is not very good, maybe they could improve the access to 69 and widen Grand River to 96 and DT Lansing. I like the fact that you can see DT Lansing from the runway but besides that all you can see is a forest of trees. It is kind of a wierd mix of old development and woods in the area. It would be cool to see a big hotel and maybe some more restraunts near the terminal.

Maybe a new terminal on the North side of the airport would be better? Traverse City just opened a new terminal on the other side of the airport. Or are they planning on remodeling the existing one? GRR and Flint remodled and Kalamazoo has plans to so there is probably a lot of pressure from competition, it would be cool to see a taller control tower too

Over it was a good experience, but I see a lot of potential in imrpovements

[hood 1]

The new terminal is going to be on the east side of the airport. Also, part of the plans calls for a direct exit off of I-69, they are really trying to market the entire airport area for new development, mostly industrial or aeronautics though.

[Lmichigan 7]

Yeah, the far northwest side of Lansing north of Grand River can almost feel rural and "hickish" in quite a few places. It's a mash of old housing, and random heavy industrial development. I'd really like to see the corridor (and the airport) developed into something more fitting and becoming of a capital city in a state as large and important as Michigan.

[Lmichigan 7]

After losing Allegiant to Ford International, we were left without a discount airline, but it looks as if Air Azul will be moving in to offer Capital Region International service to New York and Washington:

Air Azul likely to take off, some say

Jeremy W. Steele