Would we be better off with the Navy back at Cecil?

[mtraininjax]

Back when Jacksonville voters cast out the option to bring back the Navy, times were good, people were employed, all this back in 2006 (Heck we even thought Peyton was doing a decent job). Fast forward to 2009/2010, when we could use those 12-24k jobs that the base could have had in the local community, pushing money down to all the small businesses in the area.

Did Jacksonville make a mistake with Cecil Field?

(There is another simple Yes/No poll at the Jax Business Journal Site as well)

[samiam]

Huge mistake

[BridgeTroll]

Too late...

[thelakelander]

Yes we would be better off but as Bridgetroll said, its too late now.  We made our decision as a community, so we have to live with it.

[JeffreyS]

Remember we made a mistake not to try.  The Navy had not promised anything.

[vicupstate]

Didn't this issue/thread resurface about a month ago?

Cecil would NOT be here even if Jax had pursued it. Sen. John Warner, Virginia Beach and Virginia would have fought it tooth and nail.  Not to mention the residents of the Westside would be suing the city as well.  The only ones getting a 'job' from the 'return' of Cecil field would be attorneys. 

Give it up already, the question that needs to be asked is why Cecil remains largely vacant considering it's considerable value as an industrial site.



And BTW, it was opposition to Peyton's  'Big Idea'  for the Landing that gave birth to MetroJacksonville. 

[BridgeTroll]

If I remember correctly the Navy wanted the city to pay for infrastructure upgrades and other things.  The Navy made a huge mistake by leaving but I seem to remember them wanting large concessions from us to come back.  The Commerce center will grow... it will employ people and contribute to Jacksonville.  Like many cities that lost bases due to the drawdown the transition has been difficult but there are many success stories.  We will be one of them... eventually.

[Juker777]

I'm glad the center is now ready to handle the growth.  The newly added interstate exchange and the FCCJ west campus will help fuel the expansion.

[copperfiend]

The voters spoke. I seem to remember the loudest supporters were big contractors who stood made out well. The loudest supporter didn't even live in Jacksonville IIRC.

[north miami]

I imagine it is a wash.

The prospects of development made some Military & Honor types do back flips.Telling........I recall one Brannon/Chaffee promotion in the 80's that tied Cecil military operations to the proposed B/C construction.(This may have been the same year the Clay Chamber hosted a Tallahassee $3,000 lobster dinner in legislative lobby efforts)

The boosterism and anticipation of waves of 'development' during the Delaney administration were reflective of the times.(Did not Tri-Legacy individuals in fact have a hand in Cecil for a time???)

Certainly-eventually- Cecil could blossom.And yes,the recent highway infrastructure a plus,although recall our region's earlier,proper promotion of the then existing regional infrastructure as the plus it was.
And we must not forget- consider Clay county's ardent,if not militant efforts at "economic" development-so much so that the state DCA,in reviewing Clay plan submittals,often pushed Clay's aspirations back because of plenty of existing/future need in the Cecil area. The growth pressure would even harm Camp Blanding operations if 'market forces' and certain county politics were allowed unchecked .          (I imagine most reading this are unaware of such aspects.)

No doubt prospective firms- and their employees- are carefully shunted away from 103 rd street and other less than positive promotional images.And really- many will opt out of the prospect of residing in Clay County/Argyle/Blanding/Oakleaf.After all,Westside ventures are considered a 'dark horse' when pitted against the competition and appeal of near beaches locations and other strong demographic trends that leave the west side behind.

Many prospective residents benefit from reconsidering their move to the area.I personally have assisted many in dealing with certain unfounded promotions,"traffic alleviation"assumptions,the role of private Planners & Consultants and images of "growth management" employed as a tool of complacency.

The best argument in favor or retaining the military base function may emerge in the future; a role in the protection of the Homeland.
Camp Blanding's critical role in that department remains on firm ground

[stjr]

If I remember correctly the Navy wanted the city to pay for infrastructure upgrades and other things.  The Navy made a huge mistake by leaving but I seem to remember them wanting large concessions from us to come back.  

Correct, Bridge.  Local citizens would have had to cough up something like $1 billion to ready the base and surrounding area for a return of the Navy.  That's over $1,000 for every man, woman, and child in Duval County, not counting almost as much to pay interest on the financing. I am sure taxpayers would be happy to pay that presently given the economy.

Jacksonville did NOT make a mistake, blow it, or whatever!  The BRAC, Navy, DoD, and Congress made the mistake (by giving in to the politics of Virginians) to close Cecil over extreme local efforts to convince them otherwise.  And, the Feds compounded the first mistake by not spending their $1 Billion to reopen it.  Plain and simple.  Mtrain, you need to move on or get the Pentagon to buy everyone off.  Stop blaming Jacksonville.  The Navy is always welcome here, that's never been an issue.  Just who pays for it.

[heights unknown]

I agree with "vicupstate," the Navy and Government would have slammed the bars down on Cecil anyway even if the City would have started kicking and screaming for Cecil not to be closed.  I feel we would have been much better off had Cecil not closed, but that's water under the bridge now; let's move forward and lure mega businesses, companies and corporations to Jax/Cecil and redevelop Cecil into one of the largest industrial and technology commerce centers and megaplexes in America and the world, this can be done. 

Cecil Field is huge with more land than it knows what to do with; if there is a chance that the Government wants to bring the Navy back to Jacksonville/Cecil, split Cecil down the middle and move the Navy back on to the undeveloped side parallel to the Commerce Center; this too can be done.

Heights Unknown

[jandar]

The voters spoke. I seem to remember the loudest supporters were big contractors who stood made out well. The loudest supporter didn't even live in Jacksonville IIRC.

Yup, the biggest one lived in St Johns County on the beach.

The Navy closed Cecil years ago, its past time to think about it as a base ever again.
1 billion just to reopen it, plus around 2-3 billion in lawsuits that the CoJ would have faced from Westside and Clay County residents.

Even if the base was okay'ed, do you think Virginia politicians would not put up a fight? Whats better? A mostly empty commerce center with growth potential, or an empty base with no jets, no personnel, and massive lawsuits from both clay & duval residents as well as from Virigina?

[Ocklawaha]

While I was gone...

Who made the Million dollar mistake of removing the railroad? Which city, state or "TPO", played the fool and built a new roadway down part of the railroad grade? I can see it now Jacksonville, the worlds first MASSIVE industrial center without rail. So did we get one or two new truck line terminals out of this deal? NOT! Never mind that the Cecil railroad could form the start of a Jacksonville Belt Railroad that could reach  Westlake, the Free Trade Zone, and Blount Island.

Take up the railroad track is sure the first thing I would think of when developing an industrial - "commerce" park.

Brilliant!

Just Brilliant!

OCKLAWAHA

[jandar]

Funny the people voting, but not discussing.