Burke supporters want equal airtime
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Maura Kearns/Axios
Aviation industry leaders and student pilots are pressing Cleveland City Council for equal time to advocate for keeping Burke Lakefront Airport open.
Why it matters: Mayor Justin Bibb and Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne have spent months building the case for closing Burke and redeveloping its 450 acres.
- Airport supporters argue a recent series of council meetings did not give comparable weight to the people championing Burke as transportation infrastructure, a workforce pipeline and an economic asset.
Driving the news: Two letters sent to the council last week — one signed by more than 50 aviation and business professionals, the other by students and aviation workers — urged members to hold a dedicated hearing for the airport's supporters.
What they're saying: "The 'highest and best use' of this land is its current use: a world-class aviation facility that connects Cleveland to the global economy," one letter reads.
- "Once an airport pavement is removed for parks or apartments, it is gone forever."
Zoom in: Supporters point to Burke's economic impact as host of the Cleveland National Air Show, its role as Hopkins' primary reliever airport and its use for organ-transplant and medevac flights.
- The student letter argues that Burke is a unique educational asset, giving aspiring pilots a rare place to master complex communications and navigation skills without disrupting commercial traffic at Hopkins.
The other side: Council transportation chair Charles Slife defended the four previous hearings as balanced scrutiny of the administration's proposal.
- "This was not just a press conference," he tells Axios. "We were analyzing the finances and infrastructure critically."
What's next: Slife says council members have been touring Burke and that he's open to a fifth hearing centered on Burke users, but has prioritized more urgent legislative action.
- "I understand the enthusiasm, but it's not time sensitive in my mind."