Michael Lissack Of course, a decade later, the ultimate costs of this airport are still not known. The proposed building of the airport led to the proposed building of a highway. But, while the airport was to be financially supported by airline customers who would be given no choice (Denver International was to be the only airport in Denver), the new road was to have its financial burden covered by actual users who lived in the vicinity and who had a choice. Well the road finally does exist, but for years after the airport opened it was a road to nowhere. Without the road, how did you get to the new airport? With difficulty. Once the airport opened, where were the hotels? Why back at the old airport. How many gates did the new airport have? Why fewer than at the old Stapleton. How many flights does the new airport have each day? Again fewer than Stapleton. How many connections? Why fewer than Stapleton. Don’t people fly to Denver to ski? Well, the new airport adds at least a half- hour to the journey to the slopes. And cost? Well, the new airport featured some of the highest landing and user fees in the USA. The worst part of all this is that you and I have had to pay for it. The cost of landing and providing service to Denver is so high that no airline can afford to isolate the costs only for those passengers flying through. So we all pay. In the form of higher ticket prices, in pass-through costs that reflect higher cargo rates, and ultimately -- if a Federal bailout of this project is required - in Federal tax dollars. I use strong language. This project was and is a ripoff. What was gained? A great looking symbol for Denver.(Mountains were not enough.) Jobs in the local Denver economy. Funny, I forget having voted to give some of my money to create jobs in Denver.(I live in Florida, if I had voted on where my money should go to create jobs it would be in Florida, not Denver.) An airline with a strong local presence (Continental) was forced to cut way back due to costs. Such was their reward for being the first airline to strongly back the project. Most travellers using the airport gain additional commuting time and poorer though more modern facilities. But, the politics, well... At least in Denver, much of what has happened was forecast by the proj- ect’s opponents. There was a modicum of public debate. Some noted experts
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