Latest News: Aerotropoli Continue to Grow and Thrive

Aerotropolis

Dr. John Kasarda popularized the term Aerotropolis in the early 2000’s. In 2011, with the help of Greg Lindsay, the two wrote a book about it; Aerotropolis: The Way We’ll Live Next. In 2011, Time Magazine’s list of ‘ten ideas that will change the world’ included the Aerotropolis concept.

We continue to read and hear about the future of airport-centered development, and over the past decade, numerous aerotropoli have sprouted up all over the world, creating and attracting jobs and investment. detroit-aerotropolis

Overseas Aerotropoli

The Aerotropolis concept has taken off much faster overseas than it has here in the United States. The Dubai World Center (DWC) is currently the largest aerotropolis and has recently surpassed Heathrow Airport in London to take the top spot globally in terms of total international passengers traveled. As with any successful Aerotropolis, room for growth has been crucial for the success of DWC, which covers an area of 55 square miles. In 2014, Dubai’s government approved a $32 billion expansion, which will grow DWC into the fast-growing Dubai South, a master planned city spurred from the abundance of airport development.

Dallas/Fort Worth: A Great Example

In the U.S. however, the idea has started to take off more recently. Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) is a great example. Covering 30 square miles, DFW has created approximately 148,000 jobs in the area, with an economic activity of $31.6 billion annually. DFW’s airport operations bean in 1974 when the regional population was at just 2.5 million, which has almost doubled since.

DFW helps to drive business growth and real estate development in the surrounding area because of the available land immediately surrounding a hub for the fastest form of travel.

A traveler could fly into DFW and never have leave the immediate area for access to fine dining, hotels, a golf course, and of course, office space. Many people have flown in to DFW to have a job interview and have never stepped foot off of the airport grounds. This is why aerotropoli are so appealing and why DFW has been so successful: it’s more than a successful airport, it’s a successful region.

Airports in older, crowded U.S. cities such as NYC’s LaGuardia and Boston-Logan do not have the ability to expand or attract more airport centered development, leaving major opportunities for metropolitan areas, especially in the Midwest.

Detroit Metro Airport

One of the most encouraging signs of Detroit’s Aerotropolis prospects are the similarities shared between Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) and DFW. As Michigan’s economy thrives, DTW has been a key driver in driving investment and job creation. In recent years, the logistics sector here has grown significantly thanks to a growing economy and increased air cargo at both Detroit Metro and Willow Run airports.

According to Kasarda and Lindsay’s work, DTW, Willow Run, and the surrounding area provide a perfect recipe for a successful Aerotropolis: thousands of acres of developable land, world class facilities in both the McNamara and North Terminals, dozens of international non-stop flights, and of course the highway and rail infrastructure to support industry. Unlike most other major cities, the Detroit Region Aerotropolis does have the room for growth, both directly adjacent to both airports and in the surrounding communities. From the wealth of evidence seen in similar spots around the globe, to the encouraging words of the experts, all signs point to growth and success for DTW and the surrounding region.