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http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/7070/diadb2.jpg Photo credit: www.deseretnews.com |
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Frontier is ending its services to Mexico.
"Frontier Airlines is dropping its bid to grow in Memphis, an apparent blow to the airline's efforts to develop routes outside its Denver hub. Frontier will drop three of its four Memphis routes as it tries to "scale back in markets that are underperforming," according to the Rocky Mountain News. Instead, the carrier will redeploy aircraft from those markets and "add flights on 17 of its most profitable routes," the paper says. Frontier is cutting other routes, including flights to Mexico from the California cities of San Jose and Sacramento. "The carrier added most of those routes in the past two years as part of a strategy to diversify outside of Denver," the Rocky Mountain News says, adding "Frontier said it can't wait for those routes to mature financially" as fuel costs soar." http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/2007/1...er-memphi.html |
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That's funny, because either Sacramento International Airport officials are mistaken or the USA has their reporting wrong again because Frontier has announced added service to Mexico at SMF beginning in December. From the Airport website: "Frontier Airlines Begins Nonstop Service to Puerto Vallarta December 15!" http://www.sacairports.org/int/index.html |
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http://www.frontierairlines.com/fron...do?name=mxsale USA Today story came from Rocky Mountain News.com Frontier adding some flights, cutting others By Chris Walsh, Rocky Mountain News November 9, 2007 Frontier Airlines will add flights on 17 of its most profitable routes and scale back in markets that are underperforming. It marks the first major change instituted by new Chief Executive Officer Sean Menke, who took the reins of the Denver-based company less than two months ago. The move bolsters Frontier's Denver hub while ending some relatively new nonstop service the carrier started between cities outside its home base. Frontier plans to add a daily nonstop flight in January between Denver and such cities as Atlanta, Las Vegas and Billings, Mont. It will cut service on several routes, including: • San Jose and Sacramento, Calif., to the Mexican resorts of Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta. • Orlando, Fla., to both Memphis, Tenn., and Las Vegas, as well as service between Memphis and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. • Denver to Guadalajara, Mexico. The carrier added most of those routes in the past two years as part of a strategy to diversify outside of Denver. With fuel prices reaching record levels, though, Frontier said it can't wait for those routes to mature financially. |
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That's too funny.. I thought that they were doing well on those two routes..? |
Airport chief wants to ground art costs
Officials call for $8 million cap on works in new Terminal B By Ed Fletcher - efletcher@sacbee.com Last Updated 2:39 pm PST Friday, November 16, 2007 As plans for a $1.2 billion expansion of Sacramento International Airport inch forward, controversy is brewing on how much should be spent on its public art component. For the first time, the county Board of Supervisors is being asked to deviate from a strict formula dictating how much should be set aside when work starts on the new Terminal B project. County airport officials are asking for a lesser amount, saying the $8 million they recommend is still the largest public art commitment in county history. "We think we have a prudent, robust art budget," airports director Hardy Acree told the joint city and county Art in Public Places Committee this week. "We are trying to be responsible to all parties involved." He said the amount is acceptable to the airlines, which will pay for the bulk of the project. Art committee members, however, expressed disappointment at the challenge to the formula. A Sacramento County ordinance stipulates that 2 percent of public projects' total construction costs should be spent on art. County supervisors have the power to deviate from the formula, but haven't since the ordinance was adopted in 1983. The art share was 1 percent until 1997, when it was increased to 2 percent. Airport officials have not disclosed what the Terminal B art share would be under the 2 percent rule. At its September meeting, the Art in Public Places Committee was told that 40 percent to 50 percent of the $1.2 billion would apply to the actual construction budget. They were told the ordinance doesn't apply to roadways, airplane aprons, as well as planning and design, and furnishings. Still, under that scenario, the art share could be as high as $12 million. Many communities in the United States commit 1 percent to 2 percent to public art projects, said Liesel Fenner, manager of public art for Americans for the Arts. She said it's atypical for communities to break from a formula. Barbara Goldstein, the public art program director for the city of San Jose's Office of Cultural Affairs said Sacramento County should on principle stick to the formula. "You want to create special places in the airport so people know where they are," Goldstein said. "It's something that makes that airport experience more pleasurable. Airports are a place people are under a lot of stress. ... There is a lot a waiting. It is one of the places where you want to have a good art program." Acree said the airport worked out the $8 million figure with the airlines, senior county staff and Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission staff, who oversee the publicly appointed panel. Acree has been under pressure from the airlines to cut costs. Not all of the $8 million would be spent directly on art. About $2 million would be used to create an endowment to pay ongoing expenses and care of airport art exhibits. About $1 million would be spent on administrative costs over the next five years. That would leave $5 million for new art. Previous projects at the airport – including the recently constructed parking structure at Terminal A – adhered to the 2 percent formula. Brian Goggin's "Samson" – two high-rising stacks of suitcases and luggage in the baggage claim area of Terminal A – has been popular with visitors and residents alike. And 12 giant stainless-steel birds flying around the roadway and parking garage are hard to miss. "Flying Gardens" is the title of the quirky colorful bird sculpture created by artist Dennis Oppenheim of New York. Les Birleson, a committee member, worried that underfunded art projects would have less impact in the 675,000 square feet of new terminal space. "I don't want to sound ungrateful; $8 million is a lot of money," Birleson said. But, he added, "it's a huge space. Art is going to get lost in there unless it's on a huge scale." Member Susan Selix said the committee should have been brought in earlier, and its members, not staff, should have helped shape the art budget. In addition, she said any art budget should reflect real construction costs, after change orders come in. It's unclear whether the Board of Supervisors will accept the smaller art budget. Supervisor Jimmie Yee said he supports the $8 million number. "No one in their right mind thought there would be a project of this size," Yee said. "Not going by the 2 percent formula seems to be reasonable. There is still $8 million in there." But Supervisor Roger Dickinson, who helped increase the public art formula from 1 percent to 2 percent, said the county should stick to its guns. "I would prefer that we maintain faith with the 2 percent," Dickinson said. "The airport is one of the principal showplaces for our community." The new Terminal B will be a huge leap from the existing facility. The centerpiece of the airport expansion is a three-story, glass-walled central terminal, with a high-rise hotel above. The new terminal would be connected by tram to a new jet concourse. The proposal to cap the art expenditure at $8 million got mixed reviews at the airport Thursday. Bill McCausland, who lives in San Diego but does business in Sacramento, said his favorite thing about the airport was the ease of use: "easy in, easy out." "I don't think too many people are worried about the art." Kathy Neely of El Dorado Hills said $8 million sounded about right to her. "I agree with the airport," she said, as she made her way along Oakland artist Seyed Alavi's custom carpet depicting the Sacramento River that covers a pedestrian bridge linking the parking garage to Terminal A. But Tiffany Dreyer, who spent long enough to eat a bagel and drink a cup of coffee waiting for a colleague near the ticketing area, said more should be spent. "I think it's definitely needed," Dreyer said. "I think, if anything, it should be more than 2 percent." |
I'm all for the supporting the arts and the life it brings to otherwise sterile
environments like an airport or a government building. But $8 million is a huge pot of cash for such an endeavor... let alone $12 million. It should probably be kept in mind that the goal is to create an efficient and cutting edge airport - not necessarily the city's best art gallery. |
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I'm proud of Sacramento's art in public places program. One of the best in the country. I understand the airports argument, but i also think that the airport is one of the first impressions people will have of Sacramento. Now granted the oustanding design of the new terminal wil have wow factor (so to speak). But I think we can go one further by commiting to the origional 2% forumula. If they start cutting costs before the first shovel of dirt is turned, what will they want to cut next? Anyway if I were on the Board of Supervisors, I'm not sure how I might vote. They would have to make a very convincing argument not to stick with the 2% funding formula and I'm not certain they've done that yet. |
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that the 2% did not have in mind $1 billion projects. the scale just seems disproportionate . But you're right urban. At least in the article, there really isn't any point made about why they need to cut that cost. It just states that they're under pressure to cut costs. But given a specific ultimatum.. wouldn't it be the right choice to cut from the public art, rather than the airport itself? |
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Say for instance the airport decided to build the new FAA control tower instead of scaling back the height of hotel and successfully argued the money could be better used making that a reality. That's an unforseen expense that i think would justify modifying the 2% rule. But again, thus far (I just don't believe) that the airport has adequately explained why they are unable to meet the 2% requirement. The $1.2 Billion project will be repaid mostly with airport user fees and fees paid by airlines to use the facility. SMF markets the region to visitors and companies looking to relocate, which makes the art showcased at the airport that much more valuable imo. Sacramento hasn't been a leader in the performing arts, though i think Sacramento holds it's own (save for facilities). But the art in public places here is impressive by any city's standards, as I'm sure you will agree...... |
Plan B: Designs for new terminal take flight
Construction for new airport terminal to begin next spring Sacramento Business Journal - by Carol Terracina Hartman Correspondent http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/6366/87103952xd2.png Having celebrated its 40th anniversary in October, Sacramento International Airport is perhaps entering its midlife crisis. For the airport, that means it's time for a makeover. And it's going to be extreme. The design for the Terminal Modernization Program adds 680,000 square feet of buildings to the airport -- essentially adding buildings at the center of the existing airport along with ancillary projects such as parking and a hotel. The plan has been under discussion since 2002 and a master plan was adopted in 2004. Officials say the project is needed because of an ever-increasing passenger volume. "The concept is that the existing facilities limit the movement of passengers in and out," said Brent Kelley, principal architect at Corgan Associates Inc., one of the lead design firms. The bigger terminal is much needed: SMF averages 4 percent annual growth. "When it first opened, the estimates were 1 million per year at peak. And people looked at you like you were crazy," Kelley said. In 2006 the passenger volume hit 10.2 million. "Now, we're to the point of about 1 million a month." SMF is one of the oldest "origination and destination" airports in the country, said John Mares, a Corgan architect. This means that while some airports, such as Denver International, are a hub that passengers can fly in and out of without ever using services such as baggage claim or transportation, SMF passengers likely arrive at the airport to go someplace else, or they fly here and drive away. "Because of that, there's a lot more usage per passenger," Mares said. "Denver may have (four) times the traffic, but they don't have (four) times the usage." Making an impression The design is driven in part by the need to keep Terminal B up and running while a new Central Terminal B is being built. County supervisors accepted the plan in September 2006. It hinges on two buildings built in front of and behind the current Terminal B. It also features an airy interior canopy, allowing for diffused daylight to illuminate -- but not bake -- the building, an elevated split-level roadway, and an intra-terminal passenger tram. There are many elements, but designers say the project isn't overly complex. "It's a very simplistic way to do this. It allows us to build it in one construction phase," Kelley said. "And it's the only concept that allows the airport to function as it needs to while in construction." Construction is slated to begin in late spring 2008 and run through 2011, with a total project cost of $1.27 billion, said Amanda Thomas, business services manager for the Sacramento County Airport System, which oversees operations for Sacramento International, Executive Airport, Mather Airport and Franklin Field. Imagine driving to the airport on a multi-level roadway that separates the arrival and departure zones. A canopy covers the passenger drop-off and pick-up area. A 200-room hotel and new parking structure (where the current Terminal B sits) are waiting. Inside, the glass walls give natural light and an uninterrupted view. "You have the outdoors, you have the rivers, you're between two mountain ranges. There are several of those things, and the building is in response to those ideas," Kelley said. "The gesture of the building is that it opens outwards. There are some subtle concepts behind that." Travelers arriving at the new Terminal B will cover a lot of ground. They'll check their bags on the lowest level, collect their tickets on the second level, transfer to the third level and catch a tram to a second new building to wait at one of 23 gates. "It's an interactive, very open concept," Kelley said. "There's a long, linear gesture of hallway and lounges that communicates that." For first-time travelers to Sacramento, the new Terminal B aims to make a good impression. And that's essential, said Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson, whose district includes the airport. "My sense is there are two places to make judgments about an entire region: downtown and the airport," Dickinson said. "This reflects the aesthetics of the valley. It combines the big open spaces and captures a lot of natural light. "I can't wait to get this thing built." Going for green Designers aimed to incorporate not only ease of transition into the design, but also natural elements of the capital region -- even in the choice of building materials. After the county purchased a redwood bridge linking Sacramento with San Joaquin County, officials wanted to use it in the terminal, Mares said. "We couldn't use it for the structure because it's not structurally sound, so we decided to use it in the ceiling beam infills," he said. "So we have this 100-year-old recycled redwood that's going to be the dominant feature in the ticketing area." The floor will be made of concrete and recycled materials. The holding areas walls will feature ceramic tile, and the ticket counter will be granite with decorative metal. A shading device on the windows will adjust as the sun moves. "We've developed a system of solar shades -- they're at an exact angle so the moving sun won't get through, but if you're a passenger, you can see right through," Mares said. "The ... glass blocks the intensity of the sun but allows vision." "We've developed a system of solar shades -- they're at an exact angle so the moving sun won't get through, but if you're a passenger, you can see right through," Mares said. "The ... glass blocks the intensity of the sun but allows vision." The design of the ventilation system aims for efficiency by heating or cooling only areas with people in them. All these elements -- the lighting, ventilation, floor and ceiling -- add up to an effort for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, the benchmark for green buildings, from the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED buildings are not only deemed healthier work environments, but they also tend to enjoy lower operating costs, increased asset values, and tax and zoning incentives, according to the Green Building Council Web site. Funding flight While funding is a key part of design, plans are in motion. "I think it's a challenge, but I don't think any of us are thinking we can't do it," Dickinson said. "No tax dollars, no (county) general fund money. The airport operates as an enterprise." The bulk of the funding comes from airport revenue bonds, federal grants, passenger charges and internally generated funds Officials intend to submit letters of intent to apply for long-term Federal Aviation Administration grants, which could provide 10 percent to 15 percent of the project cost. There's also miscellaneous revenue -- parking, Transportation Safety Administration funding for security upgrades, and the hotel, which will be funded through third-party means, Thomas said. "It's going to be quite a challenge." |
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That's going to look so cool... Thanks for posting this Sugit.. I can't wait for the project to be u/c. Until then my fear is that some whacko will emerge at the last minute and file a lawsuit to block construction. This is one of the most important projects in Sacramento and the entire Central Valley. |
It seems like this is the only project (save CalSTRS and 500CM) that has had it easy and will start on time. So glad this will start this spring.
There are also a few big color rendering on the sac county airports site. (I had only seen them in b&w before) |
I hate Sacramento.
From the Bee: http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/535261.html Sac International Airport expansion project challenged by airlines By Tony Bizjak - tbizjak@sacbee.com Published 10:45 am PST Saturday, December 1, 2007 Sacramento International Airport's biggest expansion in its history is months away from beginning, but some its biggest clients are questioning its size and cost. "We have heartburn at trying to build a facility for $1.3 billion," said Gregory Gillis, an executive with Southwest Airlines. "That's a very high price tag." American and Alaska airlines officials also expressed similar concerns. But county airports director Hardy Acree says Sacramento's facility needs a major expansion to keep pace with Northern California growth and that airlines benefitting from the increased ridership must pay their fair share. "From the beginning, we've taken the approach we (will) build what is needed, and the costs are what they are," Acree said. The county's financing plan will require airlines to pay slightly less than half of the total expansion cost, Acree said. The remainder of the funding will come from passenger fees, parking revenues and other airport rents and fees. Under federal rules, airports are allowed to set "reasonable" fees on airlines. The airlines can protest those fees with the federal Department of Transportation, federal officials said. *********** A few comments: Quote:
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I REALLY hate Sacramento. |
I gave those tools a no vote on their comments.
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Generally I don't pay attention to the average Sacramentan commenting on growth in this region, because most are ignorant simpletons.. Take for instance the moron who says that he doesn't want SMF to grow, because if he forced to stand in line at SMF, he'll just fly out of SFO or Oakland. I have no doubt that there are more than a few people in this town who are so stupid that they would load up their cars, drive 90 minutes (or longer) to the bay and wait in longer lines there in order to make their point (to themselves). As if they're not going to have lines at SFO or Oakland in addtion to the traffic, and brdige tolls etc....As if the expansion isn't about making the airport more user friendly. But again, it's easy enough to ignore most of these kinds of morons, unless I'm forced to sit by them on the plane. The airline's late objections are a concern however. My only complaint is why the hell did they wait until months before groundbreaking before raising these objections? Where the f@#* have they been the past four years while this went through the update of the airport master plan, the terminal modernization plan or the enviornmental impact report? For crying out loud even the public comment period has already closed and now they're bitching? I'm not going to be surprised to see this thing sent back to the drawing boards and delayed another three or four years. The expansion at Oakland airport was scaled back considerably, so it can certainly happen here and now. |
and now the rest of the story
Airlines resist cost of airport upgrade
They say they are being asked to pay too much and claim their customers will suffer. By Tony Bizjak - tbizjak@sacbee.com Published 12:00 am PST Sunday, December 2, 2007 Story appeared in METRO section, Page B6 In just months, bulldozers are scheduled to move dirt for the biggest expansion in Sacramento International Airport history. But the project's hefty $1.3 billion price tag remains a subject of debate. Several national airlines complain they're being asked to pay an outsized share, and want Sacramento County airport officials to consider cost-cutting measures. "We have heartburn at trying to build a facility for $1.3 billion," said Gregory Gillis, an executive with Southwest Airlines. "That's a very high price tag." American and Alaska airlines officials expressed similar concerns last week. Airport director Hardy Acree counters that Sacramento's facility needs a major expansion to keep pace with Northern California growth, and that airlines benefitting from the increased ridership must pay their fair share. "From the beginning, we've taken the approach we (will) build what is needed, and the costs are what they are," Acree said. The county's financing plan will require airlines to pay slightly less than half of the total expansion cost, Acree said. The remainder of the funding will come from passenger fees, parking revenue and other airport rents and fees. Under federal rules, airports are allowed to set "reasonable" fees on airlines. The airlines can protest those fees with the federal Department of Transportation, federal officials said. Airport executive Acree said his agency is aiming to start construction this spring with or without a fee agreement with the airlines. "This train has left the station," he said. However, Acree said his team will continue to discuss financing options with Southwest and other airlines. County officials and Southwest are scheduled to meet the first week of January to talk about arranging lower-cost construction bonds. The expansion, county officials said, will turn an outdated airport into an efficient and stylish entrance to Sacramento. Its anchor will be a four-story, glass-walled central terminal to replace the 40-year-old Terminal B complex. It will be built partially on the existing Terminal B parking lot. The county hopes to open the new terminal in 2011. Expansion plans also include a tram to shuttle passengers between the new terminal and a new remote concourse, as well as a second multilevel garage and a new airport hotel. Southwest official Gillis said the airlines still would like the county to consider reducing the project size. Increased fees are likely to become higher fares for fliers, Gillis said. "We have to find a way to lower our costs for the new terminal so we can continue to proceed with low fares." County officials say they estimate their financing plan would increase airline fees from the current average of $6 per passenger to as high as $11. It's up to airlines to decide whether to pass that on to consumers, Acree said. The county recently agreed to reduce the number of gates at the new concourse from 23 to 19, but has not agreed to any other major changes. Acree said the new terminal and concourse ought to be big enough to handle an expected 40 percent increase in passengers through 2020, and accommodate even more expansion later. The proposed new terminal size will be about 800,000 square feet, Acree said, more than twice the size of the existing Terminal B complex. Initial work, expected to start in late spring, will involve building new parking lots on the west side of the airport to temporarily replace nearly 3,000 parking spots that will be lost when excavation starts in the summer for the new terminal. Officials also are planning additional parking south of Interstate 5. The existing Terminal B will remain in use during construction, then will be razed when the new terminal opens. |
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