March 29, 2008

Radio talk on Airport

Yesterday I heard discussion on WCRN about ORH on the radio. Just want to clarify a couple things:

  1. Last Year there was an RFP for some land at the airport, nobody bid. There was a second RFP and one person bid to lease a parcel, but asked for an extension which expired this month. Since I have heard nothing I assume, the option has not been exercised.
  2. Monies are coming out of the General Fund to pay for the airport this year. We are, however, hoping that if MassPort does in fact long-term lease or outright buy that they will reimburse us for the monies that the airport are costing us this year.
  3. Not all secondary airports are struggling. True some are, but there are others like Rockford and Stewart (amongst many others) that are thriving. Let us also not overlook Westover or Portsmouth.
  4. Hosting events at ORH. This may not be a bad idea, but let me remind everyone that the Saw Doctors wanted to perform at ORH a few years back, but I believe MassPort said no way! Instead the Saw Doctors went to Shrewsbury Street.
  5. Wind farm, housing development etc. I agree with the IMG report, this is not a good idea. Since closure of the airport would result in the paying back of some 30 plus million that has been invested in the airport by the Federal Government.

Right now we simply need to downgrade to a General Aviation airport like IMG recommended, until we can find an airport management company to long-term lease or outright buy ORH.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Time to close this place up. Let's see what's cheaper.....pay off the feds or continuing this deficit ridden operation.

Again another exact same ad in City Times calling to close the airport.........really taking Mr Niddrie to task along with Univercity Partnership......the writer makes excelelnt points.

We are entering our 10th year with Massport.......this is like a guy shacking up with a women for 10 yrs afraid to make any commitment.......meanwhile the potential bride has aged 10 years and she's been traumatized by 9-11.......problem is they got 10 kids (employees) now & everyone is worried what to do with the kids.........and the $30M mortgage....let McGovern worry about it....he's got nothing else to do

Anonymous said...

I think the powers to be really believe the city on the move jive and will go scratching and clawing with the hope that we will someday need the airport to be a BIG CITY POWER.....BIG BUSINESS is not coming back here..shit SMALL BUSINESS aint either..a mummy dummy populace that looks at education as selling out to "THE MAN", working a civil right infraction..a middle class/affluent community on the west side that gets sad every time it drives thru the urban core of the city but afraid to make the hard choices to change the current morose..ex's: new airport road, really be on the forefront of something new nationally and deal with the crisis confronting our schools and I am not talking about the "John Monfredo Mantra"...more money...stopping all of the low income housing and start dealing with why every loser is coming to Worcester..lending a compassionate helping hand is one thing..losing the city to poverty/crime and grime is a sin

I had dinner on Main South last night.a sad strip that should be a dynamo of business and resident interaction..the land of the almost living dead!

One time beautiful homes alongside Main South and in the neighborhood, easy walking sidewalk and access to the other side with a real New England city charm like Newbury Street, Davis Square, downtown Haverhill, a college...those living in Main South and the rest of the urban core of this city should start being held accountable..I had a local wee lass stay over last week..she works in one of the business next door..she told me that some/many in the hood think I am an asshole and want to run it:>)..I laughed..later that night she commented how quiet the hood was..I said that is the product of being an asshole..bigger assholes have moved and word gets out in this community quick..you don't want to live next door to that gringo if you plan to live like an asshole cause he can be a bigger asshole:>)

It is time this city started taking it back and it is gonna require less kumbaya and more of "contribute or you are not welcome"

Anonymous said...

Anyone know why an Allegiant MD-80 is in Worcester right now? It came from LAS and is leaving for COS in ten minutes. It makes no sense for it to be there...

Anonymous said...

nice blog at Cranky Flier about Alegient

http://crankyflier.blogspot.com/2006/09/who-f-is-allegiant-air.html

Anonymous said...

the air force hockey team??

Anonymous said...

Did anyone beside me ever consider that there might be some conflict of interests involved at MassPort?

Think about it. They have made Logan their top priority. Worcester is a competitor to Logan. Is it any wonder that MassPort picked Manchester and Providence as the secondary airports for Greater Boston? The decade of MassPort-led failure at ORH has prevented Logan from facing a strong in-state alternative.

Do you think Wal-Mart would lease its stores to Target? The foxes are in the hen house at ORH.

Anonymous said...

Worcester Airport was failing long before MassPort came (forced) to bail the airport out.

Worcester should be an uncontrolled general aviation airport (sans FAA, MassPort, City, Fire and Police)

Anonymous said...

was down in Hyannis today..hung out at the airport for a wee bit..my mother lives at the end of one of the runways..I am buying the house.

In the summer it is not uncommon to hear good size jets landing and taking off..especiallly on Monday mornings..nice web site..very active airport..a company out of it that may be sponsoring one of my events this summer down there

http://www.town.barnstable.ma.us/departments/airport/05/

Anonymous said...

at the end of the month I a going to New Orleans..flying out of Logan to Atlanta via Delta and then a smaller jet into Gulfport/Biloxi International Airport..interesting enough Allegient and SkyBus fly there.

I love flying in and out of Gulfport..I can get a late flight out so that my last day is an actual vacation day and I get in late to Boston which is okay with me..easy in and out....remindes me of Sanford with all the new construction...I'd have loved a ORH to GBI flight...quick drive to New Orleans from Gulfport

Anonymous said...

Paulie, you should try running some events up at Worcester Airport. Contact Swissport, they helped sponsor some events with the Worcester Area Pilots Association. Good people!