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Stretching from Detroit Metro Airport to the Willow Run cargo airport and other transportation hubs a fully planned Michigan Aerotroplis is on the move. At least 20,000 new acres with 60,000 new jobs (O'Hare employs 50,000) within the next 15 years, but they expect the building to continue for 30+ years.
Lord knows we need some sane people in both parties to correct the damage done by our whack-job Governor
Lord knows we need some sane people in both parties to correct the damage done by our whack-job Governor
MACKINAC ISLAND (Detroit News) -- The plan for a massive logistics hub known as an "Aerotropolis" took another step forward Thursday when Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano announced the creation of a public-private task force to spur the concept into reality.
"There is a light at the end of the tunnel and it's coming toward us," said Ficano, who used the Mackinac Policy Conference as a forum to introduce task force co-chairmen John Rakolta Jr., CEO of Walbridge Aldinger, and Joseph Palamara, a Wayne County commissioner. "This is a win-win for the entire region."
The Aerotropolis would link Detroit, Willow Run and other regional airports, and rail and port facilities.
In the next 12 months, the group will determine how Metro Detroit compares to other parts of the country in terms of logistics handling, create a master plan for the concept and draft a marketing plan.
"This is a legacy project," said Detroit Renaissance President Doug Rothwell, who added that too many projects in the past were short-term fixes and not long-term solutions. "We're off the talking period and putting it into action."
The airport city concept is a major piece of Detroit Renaissance's broader plan to boost the region's economy using about $80 million in public and private money. Funding is not yet secured, but business leaders are targeting state and federal money and cash from private foundations and companies to fix a desperate economic climate. The concept would transform about 20,000 acres around Detroit Metro and Willow Run airports. The plan could take as long as 40 years to be completed.
The task force will also include representatives from a number of companies, such as Detroit Edison, the Ford Motor Co., Northwest Airlines Cargo and Visteon, as well as elected officials from both Wayne County and several other governmental bodies, such as the mayor of the city of Romulus.
NOTE: Romulus = home of Metro Airport
"There is a light at the end of the tunnel and it's coming toward us," said Ficano, who used the Mackinac Policy Conference as a forum to introduce task force co-chairmen John Rakolta Jr., CEO of Walbridge Aldinger, and Joseph Palamara, a Wayne County commissioner. "This is a win-win for the entire region."
The Aerotropolis would link Detroit, Willow Run and other regional airports, and rail and port facilities.
In the next 12 months, the group will determine how Metro Detroit compares to other parts of the country in terms of logistics handling, create a master plan for the concept and draft a marketing plan.
"This is a legacy project," said Detroit Renaissance President Doug Rothwell, who added that too many projects in the past were short-term fixes and not long-term solutions. "We're off the talking period and putting it into action."
The airport city concept is a major piece of Detroit Renaissance's broader plan to boost the region's economy using about $80 million in public and private money. Funding is not yet secured, but business leaders are targeting state and federal money and cash from private foundations and companies to fix a desperate economic climate. The concept would transform about 20,000 acres around Detroit Metro and Willow Run airports. The plan could take as long as 40 years to be completed.
The task force will also include representatives from a number of companies, such as Detroit Edison, the Ford Motor Co., Northwest Airlines Cargo and Visteon, as well as elected officials from both Wayne County and several other governmental bodies, such as the mayor of the city of Romulus.
NOTE: Romulus = home of Metro Airport
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