Airports and Economic Development
Fact Sheet

1.	In 2001, there were 5,314 airports in the U.S. open to the public, of which 4,160 were publicly owned, and 546 provided commercial service.  

2.	In 2001, airports in the U.S. created $507 billion each year in total economic activity.    

3.	In 2001, there were 1.9 million jobs on U.S. airports, and 4.8 million other airport-related jobs are created in local communities, for a total of 6.7 million airport-related jobs, with a payroll of $190 billion. 
 
4.	Many local communities are using their airports as focal points for economic development.  Examples: 

a.	Alliance Airport -- Alliance Airport was developed as a public-private partnership in the 1980s on the north side of the Fort Worth area.  The project included an industrial airport and master planned industrial development site.  The 9,600-acre development area is served by two major trunk railroad lines, and major highways, in addition to the airport.  The developers have installed state-of-the-art infrastructure on the property.  

b.	Rickenbacker International Airport -- Former Air Force Base that was acquired by Franklin County, Ohio and is now operated by the Columbus Regional Airport Authority.  It was acquired with the express purpose of being an economic development magnet for the south side of the Columbus metropolitan area.  Today, the airport specializes in air cargo, with two 12,000-foot runways.  Today, more than 60 companies do business at Rickenbacker, including air cargo companies, freight forwarders, e-tailers, corporate aviation businesses, manufacturers and distributors.  A free trade zone was also established on property adjacent to the airport.  In 2000, business operations and capital development at Rickenbacker generated $1.8 billion in output and supported 18,711 jobs.  

c.	Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport -- The Savannah Airport Commission and the Savannah Economic Development Authority are coordinating on an economic development strategy to target industries that are most likely to contribute to the growth and diversification of the regional economy and that would value the airport as a transportation resource.  They are focusing on seven industries in the fields of medical and surgical products, electronics, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and plastics.  The Airport Commission has also established a foreign trade zone.
 
d.	Scottsdale Airport -- The City of Scottsdale, Arizona has owned and operated this general aviation airport since 1967.  Scottsdale Airpark, a 2,600-acre commercial area, adjoins the airport and has become a model of airport business park development.  It is headquarters to over 25 national and regional corporations and is home to 1,800 small to medium-sized businesses.  Approximately 30,000 people are employed in the Airpark.      

RESOURCES
The Airports Council International - North America is a trade association of airports that promotes the sharing of information and research among its members and lobbies national governments and international bodies on behalf of airports.  Its website is  www.aci-na.org.  ACI-NA recently published a report, "The Economic Impact of U.S. Airports -- 2002," that is available on its website.  It includes aggregate statistics on the total economic impact of domestic airport and case studies of twelve airports.

Information about Alliance Airport is available at www.hillwood.com/prop/aa.cfm.

Rickenbacker International Airport's website is www.rickenbacker.org.

Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport's website is www.savannahairport.com.

Scottsdale Airport's website is www.scottsdaleaz.gov/airport/.  Also see the airpark website, www.scottsdaleairpark.com.