Miami-Dade commissioners are set to vote on a resolution that would authorize a feasibility study on building a new airport.
Miami-Dade’s Airport and Economic Development Committee is scheduled to have a hearing on October 9 where the resolution is on the agenda.
Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera sponsored the resolution.
The resolution notes that the county and Miami International Airport in particular have experienced “explosive” passenger and cargo growth over the past several years, and projections are for that to continue.
MIA generates billions for the local economy, and is the leading economic engine in the area, so the county must be proactive in planning for the future, the resolution states.
The feasibility study would look at the possibility of building a new airport capable of supporting cargo, commercial passenger, and general aviation operations.
The study would identify land for the new airport, funding sources, the economic impact, and potential impediments. It would be conducted by Miami-Dade’s mayor or a designee, and be due 90 days after the resolution is effective.
Existing properties controlled by Miami-Dade Aviation will also be considered. Those properties include Opa Locka, Kendall, Homestead, and the Everglades Jetport.
The Jetport was planned as Miami-Dade’s massive new airport, but development was halted in 197o in a deal with the federal and state governments after pressure from environmentalists.
According to the New York Times, President Nixon pledged federal help at the time for a new Jetport on an alternative site, while the state of Florida promised to cover the cost of acquiring alternative Jetport land.
