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San Diego's $20 billion floating airport city
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This would be San Diego's new floating airport.
I have lived in San Diego, I went to college there. So I have flown back and forth from the Bay Area to San Diego more times than I can count. The airport in San Diego is nice. Dropping in on the runway right over the houses and freeway is amazing, but its location and size have driven city official’s nuts for years.
There is a big problem in San Diego: there is no where to put another airport that is even remotely close by. The current International airport is tiny by metropolitan standards and the city has been looking at ways to upgrade for years.
Oh, did I mention the fact that it’s one of the country’s most dangerous? San Francisco is definitely on par with it. It’s one runway for god sakes and it’s time for the city to do something about it if it wants to become a major player.
A major city.
However, this new plan is not it. Let’s preface this by saying that I am all for floating cities. Waterworld with Kevin Costner is a great example of how a floating city can manage on its own. Ok, that's a joke, but it’s on par with how far out and funny this new idea for a San Diego airport.
By the way, Waterworld is an absolutely horrible movie. Just thought I’d put that out there if you didn’t already know. Not even Dennis Hopper could save it.
So, the new proposal, now that that tangent is over, is to build a $20 billion dollar floating airport complete with hotels, restaurants, and even universities. And oh yeah, the airport. A description:
A giant oil rig-style floating platform permanently moored 10 or so miles off the coast of San Diego. It would be three square miles and afford plenty of room for two long and very safe runways. To move the plan along he and his partners have even put in a first-of-its-kind claim with federal government for “airport rights” to a 40,000 sq mile swath of the Pacific.
Now I’m not saying this isn’t cool. The details of this project look almost too good to be true, however, let me rub my eyes real quick.
20 billion dollars?
Really?
I mean, I want to take this seriously. I really do. Apparently the Sierra Club does though:
He notes that the Sierra Club has declared “no opposition” to the project–a noteworthy accomplishment for a $20 billion, 2000-acre development in Southern California.
But, personally, and I am no expert, I just can’t. Not in this current economy and not in this lifetime. And hey look, the project has already gone to the courts where it's sure to be bogged down for an eternity.
Thoughts?
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