A small airfield constructed on an abandoned racetrack in 1925 has grown into the world’s busiest airport, serving almost 95 million passengers annually and providing $32.5 billion in economic benefits to our region.
We, at the city of Atlanta, are proud of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport’s status as the world’s busiest for 16 consecutive years. But those numbers are more than just a source of pride or another statistic in an annual report. Hartsfield-Jackson directly provides jobs to more than 58,000 people in the metropolitan region, many of which are in the well-paying aviation and aerospace industries. Another 400,000 indirect jobs are created as a result of the airport.
While other cities struggle to create and hold onto jobs, our airport continues to be Georgia’s leading economic generator. Yet, great potential still exists for Hartsfield-Jackson to provide even more jobs, as Mayor Kasim Reed pushes for Atlanta to become a global logistics hub.
Hartsfield-Jackson ranks 10th among North American airports for cargo volume. Mayor Reed is committed to growing its cargo capacity.
Our position is simple, and one we’ve stated it repeatedly: A second commercial airport will damage the essential economic and development role Hartsfield-Jackson plays for the entire region.
A smaller, secondary commercial airport will draw local passengers away from Hartsfield-Jackson, making it more difficult for airlines to fill flights, resulting in reduced schedules and fewer destinations. Further, a second airport would cut revenue at Hartsfield-Jackson, which is needed to maintain, expand and develop the region’s most valuable economic contributor.
Our position has not changed since initial news of this proposed expansion became public last fall. We simply want to be clear on where we stand.
The June 13 letter from Mayor Reed’s chief of staff, Candace Byrd, to Paulding County Commission Chairman David Austin, was sent to preserve the city’s right to initiate litigation and, as a courtesy, to formally state the city’s opposition to Paulding’s application to convert its general aviation airport into a commercial airport.
Atlanta sold approximately 163 acres to Paulding in 2007. The contract for the land sale made it clear it was to be used only to expand general aviation at the Paulding airport.
The city would never have sold the property to Paulding had we known it had plans to convert the airport from general aviation uses to commercial. We believe the current plan for commercial aviation is a breach of that agreement.
The city sincerely hopes this issue can be resolved amicably. But the bottom line is that we did not provide that land to create a competitor for ourselves.
In recently reported remarks, Chairman Austin stated that Mayor Reed spoke to the Paulding County Chamber of Commerce in 2011 about the importance of regionalism. Austin went on to say that city officials have turned on Paulding “like a rabid dog” once it began to enjoy success. That statement could not be more untrue.
What he also failed to say is that Mayor Reed visited Paulding after receiving multiple requests to do so in 2011.
Let’s be crystal clear: There have been few stronger champions for the metropolitan region than Mayor Reed. Nowhere is this more evident than in his tireless support and pursuit of the Water Resources Development Act. Recently signed by President Barack Obama, the bill authorizes critical funding for the deepening of the Port of Savannah, which will keep Georgia and metropolitan Atlanta competitive for decades to come.
Hartsfield-Jackson has been a clear and unquestionable success for our region throughout its history. Let’s make sure it stays that way.
Michael J. Geisler is chief operating officer for the city of Atlanta
