A Message from Mayor Stimpson - August 19
Aug 19th, 2020
Good evening,
It is 9 p.m. on Wednesday, August 19, and I am writing to give you an update from the City of Mobile.
As of tonight, the Mobile County Health Department reports an increase of 122 patients from yesterday's report. For a detailed look at today's data click here .
Tonight, I want to touch briefly on what it truly means to have a thriving commercial downtown airport in Mobile. Simply put, it will be the second of a one-two punch for unparalleled future economic prosperity for our City. The first punch is everything the Port has done and is doing to expand its capacity and range of services to take advantage of the deepening and widening of the ship channel.
The Master Plan recently rolled out by the Mobile Airport Authority (MAA) brings clarity to the vision of the changes that could be incorporated at Brookley over the next 20 years. The plan shows ingress and egress to the airport and how a new commercial terminal would be situated on the property. It reveals how the connectivity of our interstate highway system, our railroads and the property owned by the Port and the Airport complement one another.
Based on limited information at this time, there is a belief that there are very few places in America which have these type facilities and services in such close proximity to each other. In the future, we can expect to see greater collaboration between the Port, the Airport and the City. The result will be increasingly more opportunities for our existing businesses to grow. Also, there will be new businesses wanting to locate not just in close proximity to the airport, but also to this region. As this sector of our economy builds out, the growth of both passengers and direct flights will lead to lower fares and overall improved convenience for you.
With an estimated $400 million price tag, a commonly asked question is, "Who's paying for this?" The largest funding source for airports is the Federal Government which requires a 5% matching contribution. Limited funds become available every year, and all airports are in competition to receive them. We have shown in other endeavors that Mobile knows how to make the case for receiving grants. With its network of partners, MAA will make the case that investing federal dollars in this project will be a wise use of taxpayer funds.
At the vision stage of every project, there are many unanswered questions. As we go forward, MAA will continue to engage the community to keep everyone informed. This is a generational opportunity. Together, we will go forward to make sure it is handled in a way that will benefit all Mobilians.
As I close, I am thankful the MAA has cast a vision for aviation transportation and commerce that will complement all the great things happening in Mobile. Stay tuned!
Good night.