The Aerotropolis

An economic development strategy of the 21^st century now includes the planned AEROTROPOLIS, an aviation linked urban form consisting of an airport surrounded by tens of thousands of acres of light industrial space, office space, upscale retail mix, business-class hotel accommodations, restaurants, entertainment, recreation, golf courses, and single and multiple-family housing.

SHAPING URBAN DEVELOPMENT

According to Dr. John D. Kasarda, Director of the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, "Airports will shape business location and urban development in the 21^st century as much as highways did in the 20^th century, railroads in the 19^th and seaports in the 18^th."

AIRPORTS AS CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICTS (CBD)

This new urban form has become a reality through the transformation of business from ground transport to air transport. The airport has become the Central Business District (CBD) providing employment, shopping, entertainment, and business meeting destinations, and spin-off businesses have sprung up around this new CBD in clusters of both radial and string formations.

PLANNING AND DESIGN

Planning and Design for the Aerotropolis includes European-style traffic circles, visually appealing architecture, integration of open space and active recreation, and mixed use development.

CORPORATE BENEFITS

The creation of an Aerotropolis provides a region with the ability to attract corporations that rely on time-sensitive manufacturing, e-commerce fulfillment, telecommunications, and have air-travel intensive professionals by providing convenient access to air travel transport to national and international locations.

COMMUNITY BENEFITS

Expected returns for a community with the development of an Aerotropolis include an international business presence; an increase in tax base; an increase in travelers to the region; construction jobs; a high-income white-collar work force covering office, research, technology, retail and commercial; and an increase in local material purchases. Local spending will increase with the aerotropolis becoming a destination place for business, and travelers visiting the area for purposes other than business will partake of shopping and attractions that are provided.

COMPANIES RECOGNIZE NEED FOR SPEED, AGILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY

Since business is now global, the successful business of the 21^st century will be one that recognizes the importance of speed, agility and accessibility in providing products and services to their customers.

There has been a shift in the past 20 years from price and quality to speed. Alfred Taubler describes evidence of this in his 1990 publication Power Shift. Taubler states that competition is now based upon "survival of the fastest".

Companies must recognize that change is constant, and be ready to adapt to change with production flexibility and product customization. This agility combined with shipment speed is mandatory.

Air commerce has changed the local and national focus of business to an international and global audience and customer base. Companies must place themselves in a physically advantageous position to take advantage of air travel for expeditious delivery of goods.

AEROTROPOLIS EXAMPLES

Aerotropolis centers exist or are being planned in Ontario, California; Las Colinas in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; Paris, France; Campinas, Brazil; Lantau Island, Hong Kong; Seoul, Korea; and Wayne County, Michigan.

Wayne County, Michigan "Pinnacle" aerotropolis proposal

Sources: The Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise, The Kenan-Flagler Business School at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill www.kenaninstitute.unc.edu Dr. John D. Kasarda, Director

By Devany K. Donigan

Eastern Michigan University Graduate Student