Is regionalism a good thing? It can be; it just depends on the circumstances. First of all, regionalism is an outlook and an attitude. It’s really a question of how an area marshals resources in order to work on a particular opportunity. The reason I’m talking about this today is due to several questions I get concerning regionalism as it related to the airports in Northeast Ohio.

First of all, I don’t ever see Northeast Ohio’s Airports being jointly governed. They all have unique service missions. They should co-operate where there is a common need and a common benefit but they should never be governed by just one entity. In contrast to that last thought is the New York Area Airport System. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey runs LaGuardia, Kennedy, and Newark Airports. Contrast this however to Southern Florida, where Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach are all operated separately. Both models have produced successful airports, so why do I favor the Southern Florida Model? It has to do with a lot of factors but the main ones have to do with culture and local identity.

Airports are hybrids on how hard they serve a regional market of multiple cities and counties but also exist in a subtext that has local impacts that demand local attention. While Akron-Canton, Hopkins, and Youngstown can serve a broad region they also interact with local communities on a real and personal basis. the need to be responsive on a local and regional lever makes our airport that much better and is a source of one of our great strengths. This is a unique area and I know the method of governing our airports fits it very well.

Can we cooperate? Certainly, but we will also compete to an extent. I believe that these dynamics make us all better.