It makes sense to keep planning for airport

Robert L. Candiotti, Las Vegas

Tuesday, June 17, 2008 | 2:02 a.m.

Like Mike Cipra, whose letter is in the June 16 Sun, I read the Sun’s article headlined “Ivanpah planning forges ahead.” Our interpretations of the story about the proposed international airport are clearly different.

One thing that stood out for me is the quote from Randy Walker, director of Clark County’s Department of Aviation, that if demand for an Ivanpah airport does not warrant construction, then “we do not want to build it.” Walker adds that “we’re still not going to sit on our hands for the next three to four years. We’re going to continue planning.”

To me, this perspective and approach make sense.

Only two new international airports have been built in the United States in the past 40 years — Dallas-Fort Worth and Denver International. Construction of an international airport is a very rare and inevitably controversial thing. No doubt, approval, design and creation of a huge airport involve big changes and almost epic challenges.

The proposed Ivanpah Valley Airport is undergoing the required environmental impact statement process, which will not be completed until 2010 or 2011. Right now, Ivanpah is not scheduled to open for business until at least 2018.

So to me, Mr. Cipra’s description of the airport as “unnecessary” is self-serving and light on understanding of the intricate and deliberate sequence of events that leads just to approval of the “supplemental” international airport. Forecasts for Ivanpah are far more thoughtful, responsible and divergent than Mr. Cipra would want readers to believe.

In a few weeks, I will have lived in Southern Nevada for 10 years. Here is what I have concluded is needed for Las Vegas to remain successful: It must stay exciting and easily accessible. A well-designed and well-defined second international airport could offer both. Plus, I expect it will be needed.

I could write another whole letter about the double-deck Airbus A380, which is already flying on international routes between Asia, Europe and Australia, and how it is going to change long-haul aviation. The A380 is actually proving to be more fuel efficient per passenger than the 747-400. This news is getting the attention of every long-haul airline in the world. My view is Las Vegas will probably need a landing strip for these huge planes, which require longer and wider runways and special ramp facilities.

I have confidence in the formal process toward approval or rejection of Ivanpah Valley Airport. For a project such as this, a 10-year plan is reasonable. It cannot be rejected by simply calling it unnecessary.”