PLUS union organizers, democrats, lame stream media, food police, PETA,
Serial ADA Plaintiffs, Al Sharpton and the other unwashed members of "The
National Junta of Ersatz Victims of Wal-Mart Who Have No Other Job Than To
Complain With Envy About The Company's Success-" ...and the mother of
Jesse
Jackson's illegitimate child... will be using the airport as well.
Sounds
like a new airport hotel may be needed. Jay?

It's been a long, wild ride with Wal-Mart, and our Airport Commerce Park.
Hang on -- this is a crazy story:

For years our airport has been starved of funds. The city couldn't close
it, but they sure as hell weren't going to support it, either. So, taxiways
deteriorated, runways weren't extended, basic maintenance was cut to the
bone.

The independent Airport Commission -- made up of all volunteers -- decided
the best way around this conundrum was to become self-sufficient. But how?

When the FAA announced in the early '90s that they could no longer support a
third runway at the airport (Rwy 18/36, which is due to be closed next
year), the commission realized its closure could open up some financial
opportunities. So they began looking at the land on the northern edge of
the airport, and realized that they could carve out 50 acres or so, and
create an industrial park, with the intention of leasing the land to
businesses and light industry. This would provide enough income to support
the airport, and in one bold stroke, we would go from being a "welfare
recipient" to total self-sufficiency. They convinced the city of the
perfection of this plan, and -- seeing dollar signs -- the city agreed to
develop the infrastructure, at a cost of many millions of dollars.

Sadly, the volunteer commission -- clearly NOT real-estate moguls -- made a
basic, but HUGE, mistake in their initial calculations. Here's what
happened:

They had figured the size of the property, divided it into sections, figured
out what they would have to get for each plot in order to pay back the
infrastructure loans and generate income, and then divided it into a
"per-square-foot" lease amount. Easy enough.

However, when they sat down with the first potential tenants, the realtor
pointed out all the utility (and other) easements that the commission was
including in their per-square-foot computations! Incredibly, no one in the
city had caught this basic error, and all sorts of finger-pointing ensued.
Finally, after this major oops was acknowledged, they had to pull out many
thousands of square feet from the land they were trying to lease -- which
left their potential income BELOW what it would cost to pay back the
infrastructure loans!

Thus, their only option was to increase the "per-square-foot" lease amount
to allow for the same amount of potential income. Only problem was, this
rate was much higher than any other available land in the area -- so (of
course) no one wanted it. Thus, the terrific idea had become a huge
millstone around the city's (and commission's) neck. Virtually the entire
airport commission ended up resigning in frustration, and acrimony between
the city and airport grew.

That's how thing have sat for five years. Now, with a new and more
politically connected airport commission, relations have improved. And
now, with Wal-Mart stepping up to buy (not lease) the first 21 acre chunk,
the airport is at last on its way to self-sufficiency. (Although many
obstacles remain. They *sold* this land to Wal-Mart, meaning that it's a
one-time shot of money. There is a huge, on-going battle over whether
future sales should be allowed, or whether it should be all leases...)

But the battle isn't over yet. The anti Wal-Mart faction is trying to get
organized -- despite the fact that Wal-Mart has been in Iowa City since the
1980s. In fact, the NEW Wal-Mart is going to be built directly adjacent to
the OLD Wal-Mart -- but, for some reason this gang of disgruntled university
egg-heads is getting all riled up about it anyway. (They are being led by
the same guy who tried -- and failed -- to stop the first Wal-Mart from
coming to Iowa City in the '80s!)

I personally despise Wal-Mart -- shoot, they STILL owe me money from my last
business -- but that's beside the point. They are the most successful
retailer in the world because PEOPLE LOVE TO SHOP THERE. I wish this fact
was pointed out to the anti-Wal-Mart activists on-camera once in a while,
since it would highlight the fact that they are quite blatantly saying that
all Wal-Mart shoppers are too stupid to make their own decisions. But
that's another post...

Bottom line: Our airport could FINALLY be on the path to financial
security, and it will ultimately be ringed by retail (rather than
industrial) interests. This can only be a good thing!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"
"H.P." wrote in message
om...
How do you figure Wal-Mart will be a frequent user of the airport???

For starters, Wal-Mart's HQ and regional/area/zone executives, buyers,
managers and suppliers, and others who have legitimate business with
Wal-Mart will be flying in.









"John E. Carty" wrote in message
...

"john smith" wrote in message
...
John Galban wrote:
Good job Jay! I'm not a fan of Wal-Mart, but they will be a much
better airport neighbor than a housing development (a problem we have
at my airport). The fact that Wal-Mart also has the $$'s to allow the
airport to bail itself out is also handy.

And, they will be frequent user of the airport.

How do you figure Wal-Mart will be a frequent user of the airport???