Keep Moving Forward

Every now and then, I pause to think about how long this community has been working to improve its airport. Here's what the Panama City News Herald said in a front page editorial on January 24, 1946 (that date is not a typo!):

“Panama City, which prides itself in being a progressive forward looking city, has a so called municipal airport which would do credit to a village of 63 persons which doesn’t know the Civil War is over… The nearest true commercial airports are in 100 miles away in Tallahassee and Pensacola. We vitally and urgently need a commercial airline because our airlines connections now are very, very poor. And to get such an airline, we need a fine airport. We have a situation that should be corrected at the earliest possible moment – not in 1947 or 1948, but in 1946."

Funny how we find ourselves in a similar position today.

A little less than ten years ago, the Airport Authority walked away from their plan to extend the runway into the bay. It was the right decision (and it never would have been approved).

Then the focus shifted to relocation.

Since then, the FAA has conducted a Feasibility Study, a Site Selection Study, a Draft Environmental Impact Study, a Final Environmental Impact Study and a Record of Decision. Dozens of local, state and federal agencies have been consulted and have had to approve relocation. For the historians out there, you can learn more about the history of the project here.

On a separate track, the State of Florida, the Bay County Commission, the Airport Authority and the St. Joe Company worked with this community through the sector planning process to create a shared vision for future development in Bay County.

All of this together has taken the better part of ten years. (The FAA's EIS process alone took the better part of five years!)

Now, we are getting close to implementing our vision. And I do believe all of Northwest Florida will benefit in three ways: environmental protection, economic development and better air service.

We've come a long way. But sometimes the last few miles of a journey can be the most challenging. Let's keep moving foward.

I just want to take a moment to recognize the tireless work of airport Executive Director Randy Curtis. His vision, intelligence, hard work and commitment to this community will benefit us all.