CLEVELAND — During his campaign to become mayor of Cleveland last year, Justin Bibb told 3News that he was in favor of closing Burke Lakefront Airport.
Nearly 12 months later, now-Mayor Justin Bibb and his administration are taking the step of hiring a consultant to conduct an "economic development analysis" on the future of the 75-year-old airport.
On Thursday, Bibb announced that the city is soliciting proposals for qualified firms with the goal of "quantifying the current economic impact of Burke as well as the potential future economic impact of potentially closing the airport and using the land in alternative ways."
“We will ask the consultant to consider a range of impact, such as jobs, tax benefits, property value, and business revenue,” said Cleveland’s Chief Integrated Development Officer Jeff Epstein in a statement. “This will give us a clear understanding of the airport’s economic benefit as well as how other potential uses of the land might benefit the City.”
The city says the analysis will consider a range of options for alternate development of Burke Lakefront Airport, from a 445-acre park to "mixed-use development at maximum density."
“By conducting a thorough economic impact analysis we can make data-informed, thoughtful decisions to ensure best use of our lakefront property,” Bibb added.
Submissions for proposals are due next month. The analysis is expected to be completed by May 2023.
The announcement about the city's plans to bring in a consultant for Burke Lakefront Airport's future comes on the same day that the Bibb administration held the first of its six planned town halls on The North Coast Connector, a proposed land bridge connecting the grassy lawns of Mall C and City Hall to the lakefront.
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