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* Daily Southtown…
Supporters of the proposed South Suburban Airport near Peotone said Friday they recently met with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to discuss the project.
The meeting could signal some additional easing of historic political opposition to the project that was initially proposed in the 1980s.
“This was the first time in 20 years we met with the mayor of Chicago,” Rick Bryant, a senior aide to U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Matteson, told an audience of nearly 200 business and civic leaders at Bult Field in Monee. […]
“It was a very encouraging meeting,” he said. “She said she wants to work with us. We’re not trying to compete with Chicago, we’re trying to complement Chicago.” […]
Amazon representatives have not commented publicly on their interest in the proposed facility, but airport supporters continuously point to the online shopping company’s growth in Will and Cook counties as driving the need for a new air cargo facility.
* But…
Update: Lightfoot’s press office issued a statement later this afternoon the suggested she’s on the same page as her predecessors on the 5th floor of City Hall. “While the topic of a south suburban airport was discussed, the Mayor reiterated that her primary focus is on the continued success of O’Hare and Midway—where there is an excess of capacity to meet current and future aviation demands,” spokeswoman Lauren Huffman said in an emailed statement. “The Mayor also raised questions about the financial viability of Peotone as well as its potential impact on Midway.”
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 10:58 am
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The idea of a Peotone airport continues to defy logic or reason. So hopefully it remains wishful thinking.
Comment by Nick Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 11:01 am
Has Amazon shown any interest in using the Gary airport?
Comment by Oak Parker Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 11:02 am
So some people obviously are still trying to create/reap some benefit from their land deals in that area. Who could have guessed?
Comment by Responsa Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 11:05 am
Talk about a trip down memory lane! 25 years ago or so this was quite the donnybrook. Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. pushing it to stick it in the eye of Mayor Daley; the GOP seeing an opportunity for the vast patronage that airports bring, etc.
Comment by Paddyrollingstone Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 11:19 am
I live in the south suburbs, practically on the Cook/Will line. An airport in Peotone would be roughly the same commute from my house as O’Hare, outside of rush hour. Midway is still the closest. An airport in Peotone would do nothing to improve my flight experience, and I live in the targeted area.
If Amazon wants or needs a stronger partnership with an airport, Gary is readily available.
This project needs to end, but obviously some connected people are still attempting to cash out. Sorry for the rant, but this project is such an obvious waste of limited State resources.
Comment by Yup Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 11:33 am
The Peotone airport has always been a solution looking for a problem. Crain’s had a good article last week about Midway being too dependent on Southwest Airlines and air traffic at the airport dropping to a 20 year low (primarily because of the 737 Max issues). Southwest was a lifeline for Midway and without it may not have survived. Hard to see how Peotone would create a demand that a second city airport has long struggled to find.
Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 12:43 pm
Rich, I do believe you can drop the question mark from the title. A Peotone airport was a bad idea in the 1980’s and it hasn’t improved with age.
Comment by Bourbon Street Tuesday, Feb 18, 20 @ 3:23 pm