Commerical Property News’ CPN Online has published an article detailing the economic development potential of the new Panama City – Bay County International Airport.
According to CPN Online:
Most of the country is waiting for the economy to turn, or even for the federal stimulus to have some measurable effect on local economies, but at least one part of the country has a third option. In the Florida panhandle, in particular the Panama City area, a new international airport–under construction, scheduled for completion next year–promises economic stimulation, both in terms of business growth and real estate development.
“A new business community will be able to grow around the new airport in a way that’s impossible around the existing airport, which is too small and too hemmed in for further expansion,” Randall S. Curtis, executive director of the Panama City-Bay County International Airport, told CPN. “But the long-term impact will involve more than development in the immediate vicinity of the airport. The entire region stands to benefit.”
The full article can be read here.
Source: www.newpcairport.com
PCBDaily 
Jason,
Are you new or have you recently been chugging the St Joe Koolaid? This airport is neither needed or wanted. We currently have 1 airline and 5 flights per day. A new airport will not bring in new airlines and passengers, only people will and we just don’t have the people for more airlines and definitely not enough to fill a large international plane. US Airways started here last April and left after only 5 months due to lack of interest and passengers.
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I am definately not new, but apparently you are new to this site. If you weren’t you would know that we have discussed very valid rebuttals to all your points.
I’m sorry sir, but you are just not correct.
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PBMark, The problem with the current airport is not lack of interest in the area, it is because of the limited nature of the current available flights. For example, to fly to PCB from the Midwest, you must fly into Atlanta or Memphis and changes planes then fly into PCB. Same issue from NY. This is a hassle for travelers and the flights are usually pricey, unless you stumble upon a rare deal. Travelers usually prefer non-stop flight destinations.
Get some non-stop flights into the new airport from the Midwest and East Coast, and PCB will see more growth from markets that have previously ignored it.
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Michele, you are right on in your comments. PBMark sounds like he doesn’t get around much. I have trouble getting friends and relatives to visit PCB because it takes all day to fly here with the required layover enroute and now with Delta taking over Northwest, the price of flights to PFN have skyrocketed. We need competition on flights from the midwest and other markets. It’s so much cheaper and faster to fly OVER this area than to fly TO this area.
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I have heard this debate in PCB for years. In my humble opinion airlines go where there is demand, not where there is a brand new airport.
Direct flights from New York or Chicago on larger aircraft would be great. Those flights currently don’t exist because the demand for them is not large enough to support the flight. Not because the airport can not physically handle them. The current airport’s runway and terminal could handle those flights now (727s flew into PC in the early 90s).
I support the new airport. But don’t look for any new service until there is more demand.
FF
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It’s my recollection that those larger planes were banned because the current airport’s runways were deemed too short to be safe for them.
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