Metro Jacksonville

It looks like we're still up in the air on how to properly develop Cecil Field.

QuoteBy TIMOTHY J. GIBBONS,
The Times-Union

The Jacksonville Aviation Authority is looking for a national company to come up with a long-term plan for the development of Cecil Commerce Center, a job that could cost up to $1 million - and it hopes to fill the spot by Wednesday.

The development plan would come about 7 years after the former military base was turned over to the city, with the bulk of the land being split between the city and the authority. Since the Navy vacated the site, development of the 6,000 acres on the aviation side of the commercial park has exceeded the authority's expectation, with several tenants moving into the hangars and office buildings that were left behind.

But as development in the park moves forward, Aviation Authority Executive Director John Clark said, it's important to have an overarching plan to work from. "If we do it project by project, it will cost more," he said. "We want to engage in planning."

The authority's board decided Monday to hire a developer, voting unanimously to send out a Request for Qualifications and Experience. The board amended management's recommendation and will require the contract to come back to the board for approval.

Responses to the request, which appears to have been posted on the authority's Web site since July 9, are due by 2 p.m. Wednesday.

As well as the roughly 6,000 acres the authority owns, the planning process will also take a look at the city-owned 2,174 acres, including a 756-acre conservation parcel. That land, as well as all of the authority-owned property, lies to the north of Normandy Boulevard, with the rest of the city-owned property to the south of the road.

The authority is discussing taking over control of that land, either by leasing it, buying it or having the city deed it to the authority, Clark said.

No one from the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, which oversees development on the city side of the center, were available to discuss those negotiations Monday.

The city, meanwhile, is in the midst of a marketing campaign for the Commerce Center, having AXIA Public Relations and Marketing work up print ads, logos and other promotional materials.

timothy.gibbons@jacksonville.com

(904) 359-4103

This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/071707/met_184852874.shtml.

Volkswagon/Audi is looking to build a North American plant.  The rumor is that Upstate SC (Greenville/Anderson County) has already bagged this one.   Audi looked at building a plant in the Charleston/Summerville area  many years back, but nothing came of it. Maybe they will pull the trigger this time, especially with the ultra-weak dollar. 

http://www.autoobserver.com/2007/07/vw-considers-no.html (http://www.autoobserver.com/2007/07/vw-considers-no.html)   

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=14&article_id=5688 (http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=14&article_id=5688)

Cecil would seem to be a natural choice for something like this (after all Daimler/Chrysler had Cecil as a top three choice for a Van plant), but it never seems to get in the mix.

Sounds like something that needs to get in front of the JEDC.

A huge use would probably be to jsut move JIA to here, but that won't happen because of new development and access issues. Now if they had done this when NAS Cecil Field closed, they'd had a shot. It at least would be closer to the population center of JAX Metro, and not in the swamps north of town near the headwaters of the Trout River

A NASCAR style raceway... but unique... make it where it mixes elements of an oval with a road course. have a straight run, which can be segmented for rails and drag NHRA stuff, then make a long banking left for two turns, then a road course tie in, then back to the long straight run. If it is unique, it would get attention, and bring big money here, and if you make it mixed use, the private sector can benefit as well foir light industry. just make the longest straight run in NASCAR, a long super speedway bend for the back side, then some road style turns before it comes back to the straight run.
The racing industry would come because we are so close to daytona, but there's room for them to grow here, and it's two hours closer to the Carolinas....There are many speedways in the middle of nowhere, but it would be so close to downtown and a working city infrastructuer.

Call 1-800-USA-NAVY

Ocklawaha

^^^IMO they should've never left, but thats just a page in the book of Jax's history.

I agree they should have stayed... but do we really expect any Jax agency or authority to have or use a brian?  A Raceway would be a pipedream there, but the machine in place never shows any wisdon... it shows insider politics and corporate kiss-ass disease.

How About a location for the first international stadium cow-chip throwing contest?

The official international "Whistling Hall of Fame."

Maybe use it for the nations largest Kart Raceway.

Hiking Trails, call it the national "Tail Hooks to Asses Trail".

Maybe a Skyway Extension? JTA? We could keep those BRT buses off the old base!

Seriously? Okay, one serious idea here...

A true Multi-Modal, Bulk Cargo Terminal... With acres of staging room for containers, vats, pits, loaders, sheds and ever imagined holding vessel for every major bulk shipment. There are national companies already doing this, management could be turn-key, tied to the rebuilt Navy Railroad (as a City Terminal Company), to the new Port, trucking and air cargo, we could blow away the other Ports in Florida.


Ocklawaha

There is a group of guys working to build a major race complex in the Jacksonville area.  They're called "First Coast Racing" and have some pretty impressive plans.  Here is a link to the discussion over at MetJax.

http://www.metjax.com/forums/showthread.php?t=818

Quote from: Skot David Wilson on October 20, 2007, 01:09:09 PM
A NASCAR style raceway... but unique... make it where it mixes elements of an oval with a road course. have a straight run, which can be segmented for rails and drag NHRA stuff, then make a long banking left for two turns, then a road course tie in, then back to the long straight run. If it is unique, it would get attention, and bring big money here, and if you make it mixed use, the private sector can benefit as well foir light industry. just make the longest straight run in NASCAR, a long super speedway bend for the back side, then some road style turns before it comes back to the straight run.
The racing industry would come because we are so close to daytona, but there's room for them to grow here, and it's two hours closer to the Carolinas....There are many speedways in the middle of nowhere, but it would be so close to downtown and a working city infrastructuer.

o  I like that idea but i think we need a them park something for 1.2 million area residents so they dont have to drive all the way to orlando of valdosta

Thanks guys, will check it out.......

Now that FL has a new Governor, maybe it's time to ask the question again, "Will FL pay the piper to get an auto industry presence?"   Probably not, but if it is ever going to, now might be the best remaining  opportunity. Perhaps a plant that builds transmissions or engines would require a lower level of incentives too.

QuoteDecember 11, 2007
European Automakers Likely to Build Plants in United States
By NICK BUNKLEY

DETROIT, Dec. 10 â€" The dollar’s falling value is making European automakers eager to build more vehicles in the United States, even as American car companies continue to shift production to other, lower-cost countries.

Fiat, the Italian carmaker, is the latest company to suggest that it may build a plant in the United States. Its chief executive, Sergio Marchionne, told Automotive News Europe for an article published Monday that its sports car brand, Alfa Romeo, needs a North American plant to be profitable. Alfa Romeo is returning to the United States next year after a 13-year absence.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen of Germany is scouting locations for a plant in the eastern United States. It was the first foreign carmaker to open an American factory, in New Stanton, Pa., but closed the factory in 1988.

Volkswagen’s chief executive, Stefan Jacoby, said during last month’s Los Angeles Auto Show that the company would decide by mid-2008 whether to build the factory.

Fiat and Volkswagen are mass-market European brands, as opposed to BMW and Mercedes-Benz, which operate luxury car factories in the American south. Analysts said the arrival of Volkswagen and Fiat could lead others, like the French companies Renault and PSA Peugeot-Citroën, to move production to this country as well, if the euro remains strong.

“Currency becomes a critical profitability lever when you’re a globalized business,” said John Hoffecker, managing director of AlixPartners, a consulting and reorganization firm based in Southfield, Mich. “The way that you keep currency out of it is by having manufacturing facilities around the world. With the U.S. being such a good market to play in, I think you’ll see more and more companies put facilities here.”

Both BMW and Mercedes, which began building vehicles in the United States in the 1990s, are expanding American production in response to the dollar’s falling value against the euro. BMW also has hinted that it may someday build engines and transmissions in the United States.

The euro traded at $1.4712 Monday in New York, slightly below the record high set last month. A slowing American economy has accelerated the dollar’s fall against the euro this year.

The euro’s strength makes vehicles produced in Europe significantly more expensive in the United States, forcing carmakers to either cope with smaller profit margins or raise prices. But slowing American auto sales make it difficult for auto companies to charge more, Mr. Hoffecker said.

“In the scope of the auto industry, $100 makes a difference,” he said. “The change in currency has had thousands â€" tens of thousands in some vehicles â€" of dollars of difference” for European companies.

A recent study by the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich., conducted before the dollar’s latest period of decline, found that autoworkers in Western Europe were earning nearly $10 more an hour than their American counterparts.

Mr. Marchionne, of Fiat, told Automotive News Europe that the weak dollar and competitive pressure in the American car market would make Alfa Romeo a money-loser for the first three or four years after its reintroduction in the United States.

“It was already expensive when the dollar was $1.10 to the euro. Now it is more expensive,” he was quoted as saying. “Mid to long term, I have no doubt” that Fiat will have to build vehicles in North America to sell at a profit in the United States.

Volkswagen, which hopes to double its North American sales to at least 800,000 vehicles a year, builds small cars, including the New Beetle, in Puebla, Mexico. One option for Volkswagen would be to expand in Mexico instead of building a plant in the United States.

Volkswagen has not earned a profit in North America since 2002, losing $800 million last year. In 1978, the company began making the Rabbit compact car and a small pickup truck at its plant in western Pennsylvania, but the facility closed a decade later after sales plunged.

The weakened dollar is causing Detroit’s automakers, which now assemble many of their vehicles in Mexico and elsewhere outside the United States, to reconsider their operations in Canada. Canada’s dollar is now worth more than the United States dollar, eliminating some of the savings those carmakers received by importing vehicles from a number of factories in Ontario.

I know Karen Mathis of the TU suggested the city chase toyota for cecil the last time they werelooking to build. I don't know if the city paid any attention.

How about this:

International Cult Museum, or ICM for short.  ICM could be a living museum.  We could host guest cults too.  They could plant their own food, have their own living, working quarters, it would be great.  Since we host a lot of nut jobs already this truly wouldn’t be a streach for us plus these nj's would be out of the core downtown area.   The cult museum would only take a small part of the field, say, behind the porta-pody on the back nine.  

Jacksonville needs to make a play for one (or more) of these auto plants.  Cecil is the perfect site and landing one would complement the recent port expansion announcements, bringing Jacksonville a level of economic prosperity that has never been witnessed locally before.

Quote• Speaking of the JEDC, a group called First Coast Racing has approached the JEDC about its SunSpeed project, a concept that involves building a motorsports park at Cecil Commerce Center. The group would like to build four venues, attracting over 500,000 people annually. The project isn’t likely to happen, though. According to Barton, a motorsports park doesn’t fit into the development profile at Cecil.

http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/citynotes.php

I've been wondering if those guys were still on the prowl for a site.  The ideas they shared here a while back were very ambitious.

Maybe they'll chime in and give a few more details.


And if the city won't give them a shot at Cecil they should work to find them a suitable property elsewhere.

Quote from: thelakelander on January 09, 2009, 12:55:06 PM

Quote• Speaking of the JEDC, a group called First Coast Racing has approached the JEDC about its SunSpeed project, a concept that involves building a motorsports park at Cecil Commerce Center. The group would like to build four venues, attracting over 500,000 people annually. The project isn’t likely to happen, though. According to Barton, a motorsports park doesn’t fit into the development profile at Cecil.

What does fit in? 10 dollar an hour warehouse jobs?

http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/citynotes.php

Quote from: copperfiend on January 09, 2009, 03:16:57 PM

Quote from: thelakelander on January 09, 2009, 12:55:06 PM

Quote• Speaking of the JEDC, a group called First Coast Racing has approached the JEDC about its SunSpeed project, a concept that involves building a motorsports park at Cecil Commerce Center. The group would like to build four venues, attracting over 500,000 people annually. The project isn’t likely to happen, though. According to Barton, a motorsports park doesn’t fit into the development profile at Cecil.

What does fit in? 10 dollar an hour warehouse jobs?

http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/citynotes.php

Have you been out to (Cecil Commerce Center) I have let it be slow progress is better then putting the wrong development in and have it die. With the new exit up now at I 10 this area will begin to get busy the only problem I see is one day having this road 23 as a future toll road. Sure a lot of you will say well how do we pay for it? Well if we get the right companies in the New World Ave area have them pay some of it and a one cent tax hike for the rest. Do yourself a favor drive out there and see for yourself. Cecil will do just fine if we take are time with it as we have done.

I believe the tolls will start south of New World ave so as not to hamper growth at Cecil.

Quote from: JeffreyS on October 14, 2009, 07:56:20 AM
I believe the tolls will start south of New World ave so as not to hamper growth at Cecil.

Tolls are Dumb :P

Do you provide any real, knowledgeable insight to this site?

All you say is tolls are dumb, well, maybe you are for failing to realize how the f*ck is that stupid Outer Beltway going to get paid for.

Tolls are dumb.  Raise the gas tax instead, and stop making people stop to pay a stupid toll.  Waste of gas and increased pollution, plus you have to pay the tollkeepers.  Gas tax is already levied, so there is no cost to collect the additional amount.  Jax did 'wonders' for its reputation with tolls in the past, why repeat that mistake?     

BTW, the Outer Beltway itself is a colousal waste to begin with.

A public/private toll road is just days away from defaulting on it's bond payments, here in Greenville.  Glad I didn't buy those bonds.  Another such project is in the same straits in Richmond, VA.  If the toll on the outer beltway is $30, or anything close to that, if will follow the same path.   

There is just no real reasoning behind this project, as only about 5% of the metro area population would likely use it regularly, if that much.

Quote from: vicupstate on October 26, 2009, 11:26:39 AM
Tolls are dumb.  Raise the gas tax instead, and stop making people stop to pay a stupid toll.  Waste of gas and increased pollution, plus you have to pay the tollkeepers.  Gas tax is already levied, so there is no cost to collect the additional amount.  Jax did 'wonders' for its reputation with tolls in the past, why repeat that mistake?     

BTW, the Outer Beltway itself is a colousal waste to begin with.

A public/private toll road is just days away from defaulting on it's bond payments, here in Greenville.  Glad I didn't buy those bonds.  Another such project is in the same straits in Richmond, VA.  If the toll on the outer beltway is $30, or anything close to that, if will follow the same path.   

Thank You for you posting this is what I've been trying to say but I've been SHOT DOWN by the Know it All's. Jacksonville did have a Nasty time when we had Tolls even with these new easy pass stickers a lot of people will still have to stop and go if we use Tolls again. Once Again Thanks for your Post Jaxborn1962

When I think of "Cecil" I think of many things....the latest: Tri-Legacy
Recall Tri-Legacy?? I believe related to the Spence family....and the ShipYards....I believe even a hand at one time with Cecil at about the same time we were confident in our expectations with the ShipYards.
The connection was prophetic:The assumed development of Cecil was no more founded than the assumed wave of condos and all the other assumed waves never realized.Oh,Cecil had the assumed legitimacy of Government involvement.......but the 'buyers' never materialized and the 'demand' never quantified by the 'legitimate' government that is actually joined at the hip with the development community.
Military presence be darned.............."We" did back flips over the opportunity to see the restrictive land use foot print go away with the the demise of Cecil as a formal military operation.We see this dynamic to this day- potential harmful harmful new development proposals impacting Camp Blanding operations is a continual battle- the emaining undeveloped lands surrounding Camp Blanding are in big demand for State Conservarion & recreation purpose.Likely more such lands should have been incorporated in to the Cecil master Plan.Brannan/Chaffee and the "Beltway" are also key elements of the assumption mechanics.And related to the Beltway and the various Clay county booster planning events and dreams are the assumptions that in addition to the sprawling Cecil complex there will be more and more and more of what in Clay County????.....more:competition.
Even without a "Beltway" there presently exists outstanding Cecil Interstate access.Pro Beltway lobby efforts by 'trucking' interests will tarnish Cecil appeal,because much of this lobby effort stems from St.Johns county,which will take a swing at Cecil promotion efforts any time given a chance.
In conjunction with these realities and unfounded assumptions are the assumptions that every body in the world wants to do business and live here.Brannon/Chaffee and environs- although convenient for Cecil employees, is infact dealing with it's own being and a bunch of competition.Clay and Duval West Side development assumptions are considered a "dark horse" compared to Atlantic ocean beaches draw and the tidal wave of St.Johns County DRI.Prospective employers know some of this.They know when they are carefully shunted about in Chamber of Commerce carravan-careful detours away from 103rd. street,Cassat...the list of "do not show" is lengthy....and we assume the outward sprawl to 'better' will be never-ending.
The best proof of my premise: Consider how the Port of Jacksonville has made 'unexpected" leaps and bounds of progess and expansion.

Quotestop making people stop to pay a stupid toll

Who Stops to pay for a toll? SUN PASS BABY!  8)

Quote from: north miami on October 26, 2009, 02:27:34 PM
When I think of "Cecil" I think of many things....the latest: Tri-Legacy
Recall Tri-Legacy?? I believe related to the Spence family....and the ShipYards....I believe even a hand at one time with Cecil at about the same time we were confident in our expectations with the ShipYards.
The connection was prophetic:The assumed development of Cecil was no more founded than the assumed wave of condos and all the other assumed waves never realized.Oh,Cecil had the assumed legitimacy of Government involvement.......but the 'buyers' never materialized and the 'demand' never quantified by the 'legitimate' government that is actually joined at the hip with the development community.
Military presence be darned.............."We" did back flips over the opportunity to see the restrictive land use foot print go away with the the demise of Cecil as a formal military operation.We see this dynamic to this day- potential harmful harmful new development proposals impacting Camp Blanding operations is a continual battle- the emaining undeveloped lands surrounding Camp Blanding are in big demand for State Conservarion & recreation purpose.Likely more such lands should have been incorporated in to the Cecil master Plan.Brannan/Chaffee and the "Beltway" are also key elements of the assumption mechanics.And related to the Beltway and the various Clay county booster planning events and dreams are the assumptions that in addition to the sprawling Cecil complex there will be more and more and more of what in Clay County????.....more:competition.
Even without a "Beltway" there presently exists outstanding Cecil Interstate access.Pro Beltway lobby efforts by 'trucking' interests will tarnish Cecil appeal,because much of this lobby effort stems from St.Johns county,which will take a swing at Cecil promotion efforts any time given a chance.
In conjunction with these realities and unfounded assumptions are the assumptions that every body in the world wants to do business and live here.Brannon/Chaffee and environs- although convenient for Cecil employees, is infact dealing with it's own being and a bunch of competition.Clay and Duval West Side development assumptions are considered a "dark horse" compared to Atlantic ocean beaches draw and the tidal wave of St.Johns County DRI.Prospective employers know some of this.They know when they are carefully shunted about in Chamber of Commerce carravan-careful detours away from 103rd. street,Cassat...the list of "do not show" is lengthy....and we assume the outward sprawl to 'better' will be never-ending.
The best proof of my premise: Consider how the Port of Jacksonville has made 'unexpected" leaps and bounds of progess and expansion.

What?

How about a temporary refugee camp or something modular and reconfigurable? Like a spot for FEMA to place mobile homes TEMPORARILY when the  fan hits the shizzle.

I would find another way in, if I had to go there but Cecil needs something aerospace oriented. Not the only possibility but one that could make use of runways and hangers! Mod centers, refurb's, paint shops.....aircraft end is pretty unlimited!

CS I agree not using the runways would be a shame, but those runways are expensive to maintain. Who's going to pay for that? I say, the feds!  I want a mix for public and private/gov. use and part of that could be the configurable temporary refugee camp. Think that at least once every 2 years or so, FEMA could pay us to house the 100's of 1000's of displaced IKE/KATRIA/refugess, etc, etc. etc. Is any other city planning for such?

The infrastructure is there. We could loan that part out from time to time.

The armed forces would be better off back in Cecil

Makes sense to me! FEMA would do well to preposition somethings here  but Arkansas had a bunch of trailers parked last time I was in that part of the world. Runways could be a fed maintenance issue or even feeder lines (airline short haul passenger/freight)could participate! Lots of possibilities but need to get some companies in here asap! Master Jet Base would be nice, just have to share with civil end!

the runways could be turned into...drag strips!
Oh (as a former street racer) would have been nice to have a place to legally run a car full out rather then doing it against the law.

Good idea but not sure that the City would buy that one! Flat circuit racing possible......Sebring style! Gray Hodges Speedway many years ago over Dothan Al way used to be the same thing.......ex-runway flat circuit! My bike would love the hell out of that! So would the Audi!

Quote from: CS Foltz on January 20, 2010, 07:51:56 PM
Good idea but not sure that the City would buy that one! Flat circuit racing possible......Sebring style! Gray Hodges Speedway many years ago over Dothan Al way used to be the same thing.......ex-runway flat circuit! My bike would love the hell out of that! So would the Audi!

better on a track then in the streets
the cars WILL be run, and not everyone wants to go to gainsville to run it.
Why not here? Would pull people from Daytona, Orlando and other surroudning areas

I got no problem with that................most of my running, if I were to do those things, is out in the sticks......way out! Gainsville does not enthuse me alot..........1/4 miles straight shot and its all over! I like dragging knees and elbows on the bike and the Audi will go 153 before the ecu says .....nope no more dude!

We run out in St. Johns....actually my old group I used to lead still does.
But unfortuantly the Sticks as it is, isnt vacant as it needs to be.

A track would benifit to get the racers off the streets. Id dare say its Needed..
Plus that can give way to more companys coming in and opening up around it starting more jobs in the area :3 YAY!!

Quote from: CS Foltz on January 20, 2010, 08:26:43 PM
I got no problem with that................most of my running, if I were to do those things, is out in the sticks......way out! Gainsville does not enthuse me alot..........1/4 miles straight shot and its all over! I like dragging knees and elbows on the bike and the Audi will go 153 before the ecu says .....nope no more dude!

Well, there was THUNDERBOLT AIRPORT, SWITZERLAND AIRPORT, BRANNON FIELD, even IMESON and REYNOLDS for a short spell... All fast tracks. Switzerland was my favorite haunt, using the taxiways and runways, one could make quite a circuit. I wonder if that huge 8" artesian well is still flowing? ...or if the developer that bought it and did NOTHING, found the old bomb range? (Maybe that's why he didn't do anything?)

BTW, Francis Field NLTA base is still intact at the corner of World Golf Parkway and Francis Road in St. Johns County.  I haven't been into the field itself, gated, but it's for sale and appears to be a concrete circle of about 1/4 mile, which was typical of the old Blimp Bases.

OCKLAWAHA

Pecan Park did close right? so, I'm sure we could make a world class drag stip off all that pristine concrete at NAS Cecial Field. And, when we're not burning rubber off Goodyear Drag Radials, we could housing refugees. 

QuoteTHE MAIN RAIL-AIR-HIGHWAY TERMINAL AT CECIL.

Interesting idea. Plenty of land, just need to get the rails to trails ROW back and get the party started.

Had the same problems at Brookly Field in Mobile! Once upon a time, Stratigic Aeorspace Material Command Facility......runways were big enough for B-52's and there were some there at one time. Now is all civil oriented, Mobile got to buy it for the sum of $1.00...........good buy for sure. Coast Guard took over the Sea Terminal side and that is Coast Guard Base Mobile now.....I think they are still there! Been awhile since I have been to the water side but the Air arm is still at Bates Field.

(http://www.members.tripod.com/airfields_freeman/FL/Jacksonville_FL_term_40s.JPG)

We long ago blew the chance of a one-of-a-kind SEA-AIR-RAIL-HIGHWAY intermodal terminal when we closed the old AAF/City Field at Imeson...  So close to the river and port... so long ago...

Damn memories of DC-6's and Super Connie's!

OCKLAWAHA

Ock, if my memory serves there wasn't enough space at the Imeson location for expansion.

Do you also remember the pulp mill on the river just off the end of one of the runways that would occasionally shut down the airport with its' smoke?

My first commercial aviation flight was on one of those Super Connies too.  What a beautiful airplane!

They had to move due to expansion and noise problems. Sadly, the E/W runway toward that damn paper mill, could have been stretched another 1/2 mile! The angled approaches didn't look so hot, boxed in as they were. I remember the mill well... STINK! Between them, Union Camp, and Alton, we had some of the most colorful air in the USA... THANK GOD for Maxwell House downtown or we'd all be living in Toledo.

As a cargo/freight secondary airport, I think we could have pulled it off.

OCKLAWAHA

Make it a green manufacturing zone
1. lithium ion battery plant will be coming soon
2. hybrid car plant to use the battery's produced there, no shipping cost.
3. wind turbine plant
4. solar panel plant
5. current generator plant. they use tide and water current to produce power
6. tech school for green technologies

Was on the plane from LaGuardia to Imeson one August (in an Electra I think) with a couple of guys from Amsterdam who were in heavy wool suits.  When I told them that it was going to be 32C and 90% humidity when they got to Jacksonville, they told me I must be mistaken in my calculations from F degrees to C degrees.

You should have seen their faces at the top of the stairway down from the plane when the heat, humidity and that paper mill stink hit them.  Their coats were soaked through by the time we hit the terminal.  Poor guys.  I had just come from Luxembourg myself and they would have been comfortable in those suits there.