New KCI planning has been very disappointing
Yael T. AbouhalkahKansas Citian Aviation Director Mark VanLoh has been telling residents for the last few years that the city needs to build a new KCI terminal.
Never mind that many Kansas Citians love the current terminal arrangement for its convenience and have been busy protesting VanLoh’s desires.
The City Council knows a $1.2 billion jobs-producing gold mine when it sees one, so a new KCI will be built.
But where?
First, VanLoh confidently trotted out a location south of the airport.
Oops. That turned out to be too costly, so KCI officials had to drop that plan last year.
Then the city came up with the idea of building the new terminal where Terminal A now stands. And VanLoh went out of his way to assure passengers they would have plenty of amenities at the new building.
Oops. Part of that plan also turned out to be too costly, at least to stay within the original budget.
So all of the reports that are being done to evaluate the project, expected by mid-year, will be punted to the fall, moving back the start of construction of the project.
And remember: We’re still just in the planning stages, and big surprises have already popped up.
Wait until construction begins, cost overruns roll in and cutbacks in the scope of the project are initiated.
On a positive note, things can’t get much worse for VanLoh and other city officials on this new terminal. Can they?
Robert Copher
3 months, 3 weeks agoI like to think these type of road block are a sign from the universal intelligence that the whole thing should be scrapped and the notion that we need a new airport is WRONG. If it was supposed to happen it would go smoothly, imo. This are just more evidence that we shouldn’t be moving forwrd with the idea and to stop forcing things.
Kent Mueller
3 months, 3 weeks agoThe biggest reason to build it is because the money might be there to use. And hey, “we” don’t have to pay for it. It is that very type of thinking that has resulted in this country having a debt problem. Just because money is available does not mean it should be spent.
An it is interesting, building this terminal would be a “job producing gold mine”, yet the jobs to build the Keystone pipeline are said to be “temporary”. Would someone please explain the difference?
Robert Copher
3 months, 3 weeks agoAmen Kent. I felt the same way about the feds money for rail system study that has already been studied adnauseam in Kansas City. I thought they should have given that money back also.
George Hunsucker
Northland
3 months, 3 weeks agoGovernment in (in ) action……
If ever there was a dumbass project, this has to rate near the top….. KC, ran by libs. We like the present airport and pay for the higher security costs, which of course could be lower if we privatized the service….. Airlines surely like it too I would bet…