1. The Atlanta Aerotropolis and Sub Regional Collaboration
2014 AMPO Annual Conference

2. Session Overview What is an Aerotropolis?
What issues should planners consider?
Overview of Atlanta’s airport
Airport area development – airport perspective
Airport area development – local government perspective
Porsche Cars North America’s big move
The Atlanta Aerotropolis Alliance
Closing thoughts
Q and A
Timeline:
Racetrack
Grass landing strip
Municipal Airport
Surprisingly, has been one of the nation’s busiest since the 1930’s
International Airport…
And as the airport grew, the area around it grew. But none of it was ever really considered together until we arrive at the situation we have today.
Next slide

5. Why the Airport Area is Key
World’s Busiest
50,000+ direct jobs
Our Front Door
Complex area
FiftyForward and PLAN 2040 priority
Aerotropolis and Airport City Concepts
Hartsfield-Jackson is a driving force, if not THE driving force behind metro Atlanta’s economy.
Not only does it directly account for more than 50,000 jobs (and that’s being conservative), it indirectly accounts for at least another 30,000 jobs. Just as importantly, the access it provides to the rest of the nation and the world is a primary reason metro Atlanta attracts and keeps Fortune 500 companies like Coca-Cola, Newell-Rubbermaid, Home Depot and now, Porsche.
Speaking of Porsche, the arrival of this respected employer, along with the development of international terminal, have the region’s largest employment center ready to take off with development.
As the airport area grows, we need to make sure it does so in a smart, sustainable way. After all, Hartsfield-Jackson is the front door to metro Atlanta, the first and last thing – in some cases, the only thing - that millions of people see of our great region every year. Don’t we want it to be something that impresses them?

6. Timeline:
Racetrack
Grass landing strip
Municipal Airport
Surprisingly, has been one of the nation’s busiest since the 1930’s
International Airport…
And as the airport grew, the area around it grew. But none of it was ever really considered together until we arrive at the situation we have today.
Next slide

7. Current Facility – Domestic and International terminals, 7 Concourses with around 200 gates and 5 runways
More than 90 million passengers annually
Busiest in the world
Major hub for Delta Airlines (headquarters on north side of airport)
World’s largest airline hub, but only 4700 acres total.
Mostly transfers, but offers great connectivity to Atlanta based firms
Recently completed most of the vision outlined in master plan
But around the airport, the communities have struggled economically for years and in many cases, we have development that may not be suitable for the area immediately surrounding the airport.
New master plan underway that will provide vision for future growth, additional gates, additional air cargo, taxiways, new runways, etc.
How can we capture more of the pass-through trips and how can we leverage the connectivity offered through the airport for greater economic development?

8. Airport Area Complexity
The airport area is complex, possibly the most complex in the region
The airport is run by the Department of Aviation, at the City of Atlanta
But the airport is located in and among 7 local govts, 7 development auths, 4 chambers of commerce, with at least 3 state level agencies and the FAA having some influence or jurisdiction in the area.
And the airport itself controls very little land
H-JAIA is roughly 4700 acres, while several other peer airports have over 15,000 acres

9. ARC as Convener Several “starts” between 2000 and 2009
ARC convened local meetings - July 2011
Airport Area Working Group – Oct 2011-Aug 2012
Airport Area Task Force – Aug 2012-Present
Atlanta Aerotropolis Alliance - May 2012-Present
Porsche, GA Power, Delta, Invest Atlanta, Local, Governments, H-JAIA…
Hubstart Paris and Partnership Gwinnett
Official launch March 2014
ARC providing initial staff support
Even though ARC has recently been involved and the airport area has started to see some success, the conversation around creating an Aerotropolis in Atlanta started years ago
ULI, the airport, Dr. John Kasarda all had several conversations on this topic between 2000 and But due to several different reasons, we just couldn’t make real progress.
As I mentioned earlier, as ARC staff was working on PLAN 2040, our 30-year recommendations to help local jurisdictions create places that are economically, environmentally and socially sustainable, the idea kept bubbling up that the region was not making the most of its greatest economic asset, the world’s busiest airport.
So, we began talking to the government, business and nonprofit leaders in the communities around the airport. They all agreed that it would be beneficial for ARC to work with them individually and collectively to strategize about the future and how they can make the most of it.
Quickly cover the conversations and groups formed leading up to the launch of the Alliance in March 2014.

10. Initial Atlanta Aerotropolis Area
So this is the starting point for the broadest definition of the Atlanta Aerotropolis. Obviously we will not plan every inch of this area, but this may begin to represent the airport or Aerotropolis trade area.
It includes 103,097 Acres or 41,721 hectares
161 square miles or 417 square kilometers
Current population - 294,395
Average age is 32
Total Jobs – 179,480
35% (64,000) of the Aerotropolis area’s jobs are transportation and warehousing (Delta, other airlines, warehouse/dist)
Appx 50% of the region’s transportation and warehousing jobs
Majority rental vs owner occupied homes
Median household annual income - $36,000 (but 20% of homes earn below $15,000 annually)
Education - 10% less than highs school; 24% high school, 27% some college/associate; 20% college/grad
Transit connection to major employment markets in the region
Fort McPherson, Fort Gillem (recent logistics annnouncements), Mountain View - major redevelopment sites
Burgeoning Airport City in the middle.

12. Recent Airport Area Developments
Screen Gems Film Studio and Expansion
Triumph Motorcycles North America HQ
Federal Aviation Administration – 330 additional jobs
Call Center – 1100 jobs
Distribution Center – 2,000,000 SF and 1500 jobs
Planned Marriott Renaissance hotel
Additional four hotels under consideration
Renovated Delta Flight Museum
Formation of Airport West CID
Key Incentives
Opportunity Zones
Free Trade Zones
Local Tax Abatement
Tax Allocation Districts
State Incentive Package
And there has already been some good news and one purpose of the Aerotropolis Alliance is to tell the story outside of the airport area
Screen Gems, Triumph Motorcycles U.S. headquarters, Call Center and Distribution Center announcements in Clayton County, Hotels, Newly Renovated Delta Flight Museum and several CIDs created or in the planning stages.
Incentives always play a role in development deals. Other than a great location near the airport and Downtown Atlanta, here are a few of the incentives that have played a role recently.

13. Taking Flight What will the Alliance do?
Create a “network of partners”
Coordinate with local jurisdictions
Develop airport area vision or “blueprint”
National and international conferences
Brand and market airport area
Support creation of CIDs
Attract additional investment
So what will the Alliance do going forward?

14. Questions?