ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / August 15, 2000

LAPLACE – Greg Smith, chairman of the Louisiana Airport Authority, said plans for a world-class international airport in the River Region are going full speed ahead.

Smith made the comments to members of the finance committee of the St.

John the Baptist Parish Council.

“This project is here with us,” Smith said, “It is very much alive.”Plans are so much alive that he is asking $25,000 from each parish council in the region, including St. John, St. Charles, St. James and Ascension parishes,to help with operating costs for a LAA office that Smith plans to open in November.

At the present time Smith and his staff are looking at land on the west bank as a location for the airport. Smith told council members that at least25,000 acres will be needed.

“I am confident we can get the 25,000 acres,” said Smith. “It is feasible to dothis.”Smith said the airport could create close to 90,000 jobs and bring in a yearly revenue of $8 billion to the River Parishes.

So far, Smith said, he has gotten very favorable responses from the other parishes and the Port of South Louisiana, which would be part of the larger Inter-Modal Transportation Center along with the airport. The LAA also hasthe support of Gov. Mike Foster and most of the Louisiana congressionaldelegation.

Smith said his plan is to let the private sector use its money to build the airport.

“LAA is moving into the private sector so that the project will move faster,” Smith said. “We will purchase the land and turn it over to the privatecompanies.”Smith said several contracting companies are showing great interest in the project. So far, the CEOs of the Rand Group, Strategies for Airports, Elcoreand Shycle Inc. have met with Smith.”All these companies sent their CEOs to look at this project, which shows that they are really serious,” said Smith.

Preliminary studies of a regional airport had suggested that land in St. JamesParish near Lutcher be used. However, a recent feasibility study financed bythe Federal Aviation Administration is pointing toward the west bank of the River Parishes. Smith told the council the west bank has the needed 25,000acres for the airport.

Councilman Ranney Wilson asked Smith if the lack of a railroad on the west bank would pose a problem for the airport.

Smith replied, “The railroads are a major player in this, and they are talking about re-routing tracks to the west bank.”To get the railroad cars over the river takes a long time because the Huey P.

Long Bridge in Jefferson Parish is the only railroad bridge around. But Smithtold the finance committee that backers are seriously talking about building another bridge across the Mississippi.

The latest estimates on building a bridge is somewhere in the neighborhood of $1 billion.

Smith said, “This is the kind of money we are talking, and we have people that are willing to spend it.”However, Councilman Duaine Duffy said there are some problems to the project.

“Mr. Smith is optimistic, ” said Duffy, ” but I hear things that are not sooptimistic. Something has to give between the LAA and Moisant.”Duffy is talking about the controversy between the mayor of New Orleans, Marc Morial, and the Louisiana Congressional delegation getting funding for a new runway at Moisant International Airport. Morial wants a new runway thatwill run into St. Charles Parish and allow Moisant to compete with otherinternational airports. Morial is basically opposed to a new regional airport.Smith told the finance committee funding has been shut down for the runway into St. Charles Parish.”We can either spend millions building one new runway,” Smith said, “or we can go the private/public route and build an intermodal transportation center that will be world class. There are billions of dollars at stake here.”Smith went on, “New Orleans airport is landlocked. They can’t bring in the bigBoeing L777 planes that seat 500 passengers. This is the future ofpassenger airlines, and this is where the money is. Right now New Orleans islike a Volkswagen and they are competing against Mercedes. We can becomethe Mercedes. It is basically up to us to do this.”Duffy said, “We met with the Federal Aviation Administration and they informed us that this problem is not unique to New Orleans. This is acomplicated scenario.”Another problem is the time line. Councilman Cleveland Farlough wanted toknow how long it would be before the airport was up and running once the funding and the grant are approved for construction.

Smith said it would not be like the Denver International Airport, which took over seven years to finish because it was involved in a political process. Hecouldn’t give the council an exact time-frame for construction, but Smith said because the private sector is involved it could be built fairly quickly.

“Our project is strong financially,” Smith told the council members.

Lester Rainey wanted to know what the effect of the airport would be on his west bank constituents.

“Will there be meetings with west bank residents?” asked Rainey.

“We will be posting notices for public meetings in the very near future,” said Smith.

The LAA wants to start working on the feasibility study as soon as possible.

The FAA has awarded $450,000 for the study. and Smith said publicmeetings will start soon.

“We will keep the public informed of any decision being made,” said Smith.

Parish President Nickie Monica urged the council to help fund the LAA office and back the plan for the airport.

“I’ve been following this project for two years,” said Monica, “and this is the opportunity for us to take the lead. This airport will also bring Baton Rougeand New Orleans together.”Monica recommended the council approve the funds predicated on the actions of the other three parish councils.

Job Boucvalt moved that the committee recommend to the full council that the $25,000 be provided to the LAA.

“This is a great opportunity for us,” said Boucvalt, “and I suggest we jump on board.”The motion passed unanimously and will be presented to the council for approval at the Aug. 22 meeting.

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