Thursday, April 18, 2013

Pie In The Sky . . .

More pie in the sky from our Oneida County leadership:  Griffiss Vying for FAA's New Traffic Control Center . But the OD article on this story has  this important bit of information:
"The FAA's background information also said the site must be within 150 miles of New York City . . ." 
Read the specs guys! Griffiss does not qualify. Wonder how much $$$ the taxpayers will be expected to cough up to "lure" this non-starter to O.C.? It's sorta like trying to put a nanocenter in a federal wetland!

In the "Good Idea" department, Dave Gorden Proposes Name Change to Griffiss International Airport
Gordon says he wants to see Griffiss’ name changed to the Utica-Rome Metropolitan Airport at Griffiss International, in an effort to “tie the two major cites together.”
Gordon seems to have learned something our Mohawk Valley Chamber of Commerce has not:  The "Utica" name places the facility on a map, which is important for marketing, particularly in a geographic-sensitive industry like transportation.

Strikeslip, however, has an even more appropriate non-geographic name for Griffiss International:

White Elephant!

Look it up on the link provided.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

For the love of God, why would you want to add the name "Utica-Rome" to anything. The negatives associated with this name outweigh any possible benefit.

Anonymous said...

There is one maddening aspect to the story that dovetails into the Strikeslip comment. Why did the OD reporter not ask the County Executive toi explain how the facility could even be in the running since it is not within the 150 mile speck? Why did the reporter not ask the FAA to explain the situation? There is little doubt that the FAA was doing someone, probably Congressman Hanna to include Griffiss on a visit list. That fits the narrative, a silly one at that, that the airport is real and has a future. It would be laughable if the joke was not so expensive to the taxpayer. What is a disgrace is that the OD continues to promote this joke.

Anonymous said...

First, you add "Utica/Rome" to the name because, despite what we perceive as negative, it puts us on the map - literally. Whether it's the Schenectady County Airport, Scanton/Wilkes Barre Airport, Greenville/Spartansburg Int. Airport, or other similarly sized areas, they all market their airport by the region. Despite our own pipe dreams and being 10 decades behind the times, NO ONE knows where Griffiss is. Maybe some retired military folk, but certainly not businesses and young people (those we need to attract).

As for this so-called dream of a control tower, when the heck will people in this area start seeing the pattern of our leaders just sending out press releases about crap that they know won't come? This trick has to be running its course by now. They do it a couple times a year for the past 50 years. I have to believe that it's about to backfire. Then again, it can only backfire if they get credible and aggressive competition. As long as they go unopposed every election, none of it matters. We need some real citizens to step up and run for public office.

Silence Dogood said...

I agree with all of the above. But usual EDGE is mentioned in a news release. That is a sure fire sign of failure and the kiss of death. Maybe just maybe our luck will change.

Anonymous said...

Where is King Cuomo , why isn't
he talking up the "project"?As long as Albany is in the run for this center that is where King Cuomo will be.

Anonymous said...

You posters have it all wrong. The airport is vital to the chip plant and both are a go go go! SD

Anonymous said...

Yep, I caught the 150 mi. requirement in the OD story & wondered why Picente & other county officials were even bothering. Then it hit me. It's just more smoke being blown up our behinds by Picente, EDGE officials & the OD.

When, oh when are the voter's going to wise up?