Mobile Development Thread

[jmbreland]

Thanks for the updates, Port of Bama. Looking forward to seeing some pics!

[Port_of_Bama]

WELCOME MAN !

The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. will win the U.S. Air Force tanker contract over rival Boeing Co., according to a leading defense analyst.

83
Share 23 Comments Loren Thompson of the Lexington Institute in Arlington, Va., said EADS has emerged as the clear favorite for the coveted deal, based on the Air Force's internal analysis of the two competing bids.

"Boeing has lost this competition," Thompson said, citing conversations with Boeing executives. "The only question now is whether they choose to protest the award, and I'm not sure they will."

Neither Boeing nor EADS would comment Sunday.

The Air Force said it expects to announce a winner for the potential $40 billion contract as early as next month. Chicago-based Boeing and EADS, the parent company of Airbus, are vying for the lucrative work to build 179 jet tankers for the Air Force.

It's the second round of competition between the American and European defense giants in a contest marked by fierce political fighting and prodigious marketing campaigns.

The battle has big stakes in Mobile. EADS has said that, if successful, it plans to assemble its KC-30 tankers at a $600 million, 1,500-worker factory to be constructed at Brookley Field.

http://blog.al.com/live/2010/12/eads_poised_to_win_air_force_t.html

ONLY TIME WILL TELL !!

[elb401]

I know this is exciting to hear....... but lets not celebrate yet! Who knows what can happen between now and January or whenever they decide on the contract.

[huntsvillefan]

Originally Posted by elb401

I know this is exciting to hear....... but lets not celebrate yet! Who knows what can happen between now and January or whenever they decide on the contract.

When Volkswagen was planning a new build everyone said it would be built in Huntsville. Surprise--went to Chattanooga. Let's hope Mobile gets all that's hoped for and more.

[Port_of_Bama]

Agree with you both.....Time will tell all.

[SouthSky]

Talbot in his latest column wrote that there is another "big" economic announcement coming for Mobile in the coming weeks.

Edit: (Here is the exact wording)
George Talbot, Mobile Press-Register
"Business leaders are also buzzing about yet another international economic development project that could be announced in the next few weeks."

[elb401]

Well, I'm wishing Mobile good luck in the unnamed project. Mobile has fallen short in the last few industrial competitions. I think Mobile has a possibility to see huge expansions in its economy over the next three years.

[Port_of_Bama]

^^^ Man that would be great news .. international economic development ?! wow...Well MerryChristmas Port City !!!!!

MOBILE, Alabama -- The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. said today it was soliciting bids for construction of an aircraft production plant in Mobile, where the company is proposing to build refueling tankers for the U.S. Air Force.

EADS, the parent company of Airbus, said it was moving forward with construction planning so that it could be ready to move quickly if it is selected by the Air Force for the potential $40 billion deal.

EADS is competing with Boeing Co. for a contract to build 179 new tankers for the Air Force. A decision is expected early next year.

EADS in August named Hoar Program Management as its construction manager for the proposed $600 million assembly plant at Brookley Field. EADS said today that Hoar would release bid qualifications Sunday through its web site at http://www.hoarpm.com.

http://blog.al.com/live/2010/12/eads_moves_forward_with_constr.html

[Port_of_Bama]

--On other economic development possibilities:

For the past several weeks, Jones has been dropping hints about a pending economic development coup for the city.

On Friday, he said that Mobile is on the verge of netting two “substantial prospects.” Announcements could come within the next 60 days, Jones said.

When a member of the audience asked whether Jones could be more specific, the mayor cited confidentiality agreements. “We are talking to people all over the world all the time. That’s about all I can tell you,” he said.



--On downtown redevelopment:

Jones said the city has plans in the works for downtown improvement and redevelopment, but funding remains an issue. He said that he city would like to revive a Downtown Redevelopment Authority to help recruit developers to the city center.

The city fields inquiries from people who want to develop downtown, but lacks the manpower to shepherd those people from curiosity to construction.

Improved streetscapes with new lighting, and more two-way streets, are in the works, he said. Some one-way streets are prohibitively expensive to convert to two ways, Jones said. St. Francis Street and Washington Avenue, however, should go two-way in the near future, he said.

http://blog.al.com/live/2010/12/mobile_mayor_sam_jones_to_down.html

[phoenixboi08]

What about the whole I-10/Water Street ramp relocation...wasn't that approved?

[CottonCity251]

Originally Posted by phoenixboi08

What about the whole I-10/Water Street ramp relocation...wasn't that approved?

I think work will begin on that around 2012.

Good news on the refueling tankers... this analyst has very close ties to Boeing and favor them as well.

Sam Jones is starting to bore me... seeing he has a one track mind that can only focus on one thing. I mean big ups on the job recruiting, but wat about developers?? He has lacked in entertainment and upgraded hospitality services like Dow... all we hear is jobs, jobs, jobs; can we get some more entertaining stuff to do?? So not gonna vote for him next time...

[Port_of_Bama]

LOL..Yeah jobs are good.I favor the mixuse developments that are seen through out downtown Charlotte,NC. The mix use developments in that city have a restaurants,shops,cafes, and etc in a one structure with a court yard.That would be an ideal development for downtown Mobile.And it would spark of so much more.If we are bale to land international multi million and billion dollar industries to our fair city.Then surely we can land other developmentys as well.

[CottonCity251]

From the Press-Register
by Dan Murtaugh

Census: Area more educated but poorer

MOBILE, Ala. -- New information from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that south Alabama gained people and became more educated but lost wealth over the past decade.

The data also painted a somewhat bleak portrait for the city of Mobile, indicating population losses since 2000 despite growth in Mobile and Baldwin counties.

The five-year window allows the Census Bureau to give more accurate and detailed information, especially about smaller communities, but also means the information is dated.

For example, while the 2005-2009 survey data puts the city of Mobile’s population at 191,936, the Census Bureau estimates the city’s 2009 population to have risen to 193,205 after two successful annexation votes.

Either way, the city’s population has apparently declined from about 199,000 at the time of the 2000 Census.

Birmingham also got smaller, dropping by about 11,000 people from 2000 to the new Census survey results. The state’s two other largest cities, Montgomery and Huntsville, both saw population rise.

[elb401]

Don't seem so down..... this is really not bad news. Except for the income part. The population ESTIMATES were released last spring and are based on the 2000 census. Nine years of estimating can really distort a projection. Remember the census said that Mobile lost 3,000 from Katrina. The city didn't dispute it even though Mobile had record home construction, record rental occupancy rates, and a huge boost to sales tax collection. Some of the people have left but not all of them. The real fresh numbers come out next week. Lets hope for some good news. If the numbers are bad then the city needs to worry. Either way Mobile needs to start cranking up the annexation campaigns again. There are 55,000 people sitting in Mobile's police jurisdiction. Mobile should at least try to capture half.

[Port_of_Bama]

With more education the jobs will follow..So thats a good thing.



Some other shocking news :The Best Places to Raise Your Kids 2011 http://images.businessweek.com/slideshows/20101214/the-best-places-to-raise-your-kids-2011/

Congradulations Theodore ! But I thought Theodore was incorporated into Mobile almost two years ago ?

[elb401]

Mobile only annexed half of it in 2008. Weird that its on that list.

[NitekKetin]

The city can't continue to annex its way out of its fiscal problems. Eventually it'll start running out of lucrative commercial corridors and encounter more challenging incorporation drives. Ugh, I just see the Snow Road/Airport Blvd. vicinity morphing into another Semmes.

[elb401]

I agree with you. I bet you will see more incorporation drives in the future (Theodore, Tillman’s Corner, and maybe even Dawes). I believe the city has already run out of lucrative commercial areas.......the only two left are Cottage Hill Road and Shillinger up to the Dawes Wal-Mart and Snow and Airport (in the future). But with the current horrible system of urban sprawl this is one of the only ways that a city can grow very quickly. (I hope that system ends soon). Also, an extended police and fire jurisdiction can add big costs. With the current city boundaries and the new town of Semmes the city can annex a few places without expanding its police jurisdiction. The only benefit to that would be increasing the population since their property taxes would go toward the city services. Mobile just has some huge image problems, which unfortunately I don't think Sam Jones is helping. Just the word annexation has been demonized. I don't think Semmes will have much luck annexing subdivisions either. Mobile needs to maybe do some small non controversial annexations after 2011, kind of on the lines of the Windmill Place subdivision annexation in 2008. She also needs to be very careful about sparking backlash like she did during the Moffett Road attempt. As for the city looking for financial solutions, I hope they are working on that one before they get anywhere close to the September end of the sales tax increase. Oh well, I do a lot of wishful thinking!

[NitekKetin]

Is the Rangeline Road Wal-Mart in Mobile city limits?

[elb401]

yeah, it was annexed in 2008.