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Columbia is unique that the "multiple retail areas" you talk about are because wealth is not as concentrated as other areas and it causes retailers to pause... but I agree, it does not matter cuz we have some stuff but lack some dumb crap like Cheesecake Factory or an apple store.
Riverfront development has been slow for a couple of reason. One, most of the land was privately owned, or formerly a prison or privately developed. If we want a better "urban trail," please feel free to donate to the River Alliance to continue developing the 10 plus miles of amazing trail they have already developed https://riveralliance.org/. Topgolf is looking, I know that first hand. Landowners here think their land is worth way too much though.
CAE should not just wait for another airline. Low-cost carriers need to be wooed and they need incentives. I worked on this in another city that did a lot to both incentivize low-cost carriers and keep the service levels of their mainline carriers. There is a whole open lower level at CAE where you could operate cheap flights with some damn stairs. Would the airport rather have $0.00 or a few bucks, create some jobs, and get some parking revenue on top of that? Most mainline carriers don't mind having frontier, spirit or Allegiant providing service to destination cities. If you talk about it the right way you can even sell it to them as getting people used to flying out of CAE, so when they need a flight somewhere else they will book a flight with them.
I can think of several places that would be great for a Topgolf. There are several good plots of land along I-26 in Irmo. Also, I-20 in between 26 and 77 would be in between both sides of town and not far from downtown. Or near Scana at I-77 and throw in the outlet mall as well.
I would absolutely love some more low cost carriers. This is definitely an area where we should throw incentives around.
CAE should not just wait for another airline. Low-cost carriers need to be wooed and they need incentives. I worked on this in another city that did a lot to both incentivize low-cost carriers and keep the service levels of their mainline carriers.
The thing about incentives, and I've seen this across the US in small to medium sized metroplexes where a city/county/state throws money at an airline (not even a low-cost one, many times one of the "big boys", or at least their regional branch) and once the incentives stop the airline 9.99999 times out of 10 stops those flights.
For CAE, some of its issues are not necessarily their fault, like being relatively close to Charlotte, which is a hub for one of last three remaining legacy airlines. If both the BMW and Boeing plants were located in the Columbia metroplex would there be more airlines and nonstop flights from CAE, sure, no doubt.
What many airlines do to gauge whether or not a new nonstop route is feasible and potentially economically profitable to them, they look at where everybody is going, meaning their final destination. Say X number of people per week are going to Denver from CAE on United Express, which will route them through either ORD or IAH or IAD, will getting a larger plane (more expensive but longer range) and strategically placing the days/times of the week they would fly nonstop to DEN, make sense economically.
Looking at the Eastern 1/3 of the US and where new nonstop flights from CAE could potential go: Boston, Detroit, Cincinnati, Miami, Tampa (?), Orlando (?). Is the demand there to fly to those places?
The thing about incentives, and I've seen this across the US in small to medium sized metroplexes where a city/county/state throws money at an airline (not even a low-cost one, many times one of the "big boys", or at least their regional branch) and once the incentives stop the airline 9.99999 times out of 10 stops those flights.
For CAE, some of its issues are not necessarily their fault, like being relatively close to Charlotte, which is a hub for one of last three remaining legacy airlines. If both the BMW and Boeing plants were located in the Columbia metroplex would there be more airlines and nonstop flights from CAE, sure, no doubt.
What many airlines do to gauge whether or not a new nonstop route is feasible and potentially economically profitable to them, they look at where everybody is going, meaning their final destination. Say X number of people per week are going to Denver from CAE on United Express, which will route them through either ORD or IAH or IAD, will getting a larger plane (more expensive but longer range) and strategically placing the days/times of the week they would fly nonstop to DEN, make sense economically.
Looking at the Eastern 1/3 of the US and where new nonstop flights from CAE could potential go: Boston, Detroit, Cincinnati, Miami, Tampa (?), Orlando (?). Is the demand there to fly to those places?
Boston and Detroit might be more natural candidates since flights would likely be business-oriented, though of course Detroit as a Delta hub would overlap with ATL. The problem with Miami, Tampa, and Orlando is that they tend to be family vacation destinations and families continue to drive. Cincinnati in my mind might be a one-off, so I don't know if there's any demand there.
Boston and Detroit might be more natural candidates since flights would likely be business-oriented, though of course Detroit as a Delta hub would overlap with ATL. The problem with Miami, Tampa, and Orlando is that they tend to be family vacation destinations and families continue to drive. Cincinnati in my mind might be a one-off, so I don't know if there's any demand there.
Columbia most the Detroit route a couple of years ago I’d agree that that’ll probably be one of the next few routes that pop up. Hopefully JetBlue can come in and bring in Boston and Fort Lauderdale. Maybe frontier will pop up with routes to Denver or Vegas.
The thing about incentives, and I've seen this across the US in small to medium sized metroplexes where a city/county/state throws money at an airline (not even a low-cost one, many times one of the "big boys", or at least their regional branch) and once the incentives stop the airline 9.99999 times out of 10 stops those flights.
For CAE, some of its issues are not necessarily their fault, like being relatively close to Charlotte, which is a hub for one of last three remaining legacy airlines. If both the BMW and Boeing plants were located in the Columbia metroplex would there be more airlines and nonstop flights from CAE, sure, no doubt.
What many airlines do to gauge whether or not a new nonstop route is feasible and potentially economically profitable to them, they look at where everybody is going, meaning their final destination. Say X number of people per week are going to Denver from CAE on United Express, which will route them through either ORD or IAH or IAD, will getting a larger plane (more expensive but longer range) and strategically placing the days/times of the week they would fly nonstop to DEN, make sense economically.
Looking at the Eastern 1/3 of the US and where new nonstop flights from CAE could potential go: Boston, Detroit, Cincinnati, Miami, Tampa (?), Orlando (?). Is the demand there to fly to those places?
I am not really thinking "service guarantee" cash incentives that are maybe 30% effective after 3 years, but other incentives. Landing fee packages that include free gates in the downstairs area of the airport, advertising, earned media, and providing customer acquisition incentives. Airports also generally hire firms to conduct leakage studies to help airlines provide more efficient service, as a sales technique.
The biggest problem facing the industry right now is the pilot shortage. Many airlines can barley operate the capacity they are at right now, and many are looking to reduce the number of flights offered. One area I think could be improved without putting additional stress on an airline, is negotiate with AA to route fewer passengers through Charlotte. Those flights are a huge waste of time for passengers and crew. I know they are bringing additional capacity of the Dallas route, but I doubt very many people route through CLT to go west.
On Woodrow Street in Irmo, near the medical area, the brick house and surrounding land has been sold and the trees (a large area of them actually) are being cleared. Does anyone know what they might be doing there? Another medical park maybe?
On Woodrow Street in Irmo, near the medical area, the brick house and surrounding land has been sold and the trees (a large area of them actually) are being cleared. Does anyone know what they might be doing there? Another medical park maybe?
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