Jeff Fegan recounted Tuesday a morning in 1984 when he flew into Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW) to interview for a job. At the time, the airport sat on largely undeveloped land between its two host cities.
He spent 10 years helping plan for developing that land and then another 19 years as CEO at DFW, where he watched commercial, industrial and residential projects, warehouses, corporate headquarters and natural gas facilities grow. The airport city at DFW and the aerotropolis covering the surrounding region are the undisputed economic engine to the region, he says.
“I saw quite a bit of development take place,” he says.
Fegan retired from DFW last year, but he is chairman of this year’s Aerotropolis Americas conference, which is being hosted by Denver International (DEN). The two-day conference kicked off Tuesday with sessions covering topics ranging from generating non-aeronautical revenues to bringing regional development around airports from planning to reality and addressing challenges around getting different jurisdictions to work together outside of their own planning needs.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, who became a strong supporter of the aerotropolis concept while serving on the city council, says working with the communities surrounding the airport to develop in an intelligent way will help the region for decades to come. The airport already provides $26.3 billion in annual economic impact to the region, he says. In 2015, a hotel will open on the airport, as will a plaza area. A transit center is expected in 2016, which will bring rail to the airport from downtown for the first time.
“The economic benefits will be absolutely tremendous,” Hancock says, adding that the airport has room for more commercial development than any other in the U.S. “I look forward to showing you our progress.”
Jack Kasarda, director of the Centre for Air Commerce at the University of North Carolina and the founder of the aerotropolis concept, kicked off the conference by providing an overview of the importance of global connectivity, which is enabled by development in and around airports.
The aerotropolis is a traditional metropolis with an airport at its heart. The value provided by the concept is speedy connectivity nationally and worldwide.
“Time is not only cost, but time is also currency,” he says.
More than 350 people are expected to attend the conference, representing five continents and more than 20 countries.
