We continue to touch upon a number of issues that all have a major impact on the future of the city. Considering all of the issues that we have touched upon, what do you think the city will look like in the future? In terms of population, ethnic make-up, architecture, etc.

Steve,
Looking at the current trends from the bureau of labor and statistics at http://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.pa_philadelphia.htm it looks like manufacturing and finance jobs are leaving Philadelphia at an increasing pace. This follows with the national trends of exporting all manufacturing operations, telephone support and white collar jobs like banking, insurance, and engineering. Since Philly never really had a lot of high-tech, it is not feeling the aftermath of the dotcom failure as much. With an overabundance of hospitals, the healthcare industry will see a decline. On the other hand, construction, services, leisure and government is growing at a slow pace. Philly has a very rich history, tourist attractions and cultural opportunities. What Philly lacks, like many other cities, is solid job creation for the medium to high income bracket.

There are several opportunities here.

When watching loads of people do "Duck Tours" of Philly and revitalization of Penn's Landing and South Street, it occurred to me that Philly can really become a fun party vacation destination like New Orleans or Las Vegas. The cultural opportunities are there, it just needs to be developed a bit. I think Philly needs to leave the old rust and coal industry behind become and become a popular tourist destination.

It can become the center of attraction for Independence day in the same way that New Orleans is the center of attraction for Mardi Gras or Las Vegas is for spring break, or New York city Times Square for New Years. Afterall, the declaration of Independence was signed here. What is needed is a football-field sized plaza. Before noon, the Declaration of Independence needs to be read aloud and then at noon all the city bells should ring in another year of freedom. Bands should play all afternoon. In the evening there should be a huge laser and fireworks show. Good micro-brewed beer should flow. This should be a televised event to make Philly the place to be for the 4th of July. In the long run, this will bring more tourism to Philly. Elementary school kids should be making trips to Philly just as they make trips to Washington D.C. throughout the year.

Growing the tourism industry should create new jobs and re-vitalize downtown. I think everything should be done so that business can thrive near the new tourism area. Old, decaying buildings should be transformed into open plazas with outdoor cafes, pubs and restaurants or parks. Room should be made for small and large businesses to bring their companies near this environment. This would in turn, insure that businesses stay in Philadelphia since it would be a fun place to be.

The overabundance of hospitals, urban charm and culture in Philly can be used to lure wealthy retirees to live here. If properly developed, this could be a potential growth industry. Retirees need small townhomes near hospitals which are safe and handicap accessible and near parks. The retirees need to be able to take leisurely walks around town. Intown, there should be opportunities for shuffle board, and outdoor chess. Retirees should have ready access to communications to keep in touch with their progeny. I think it is important to draw both the elderly and young people to keep Philly, a vibrant and diverse community.

I think it is important that Philly gets its share of the global economy. If all the products are manufactured elsewhere and the customer service is handled elsewhere, then there must be coincidental opportunities for the marketing and distribution of these goods. Perhaps there is a need for an intermodal facility...

When thinking of new architecture, I would emphasize taking advantage of natural light, good insulation and energy efficiency. I think new architecture can be built so that there are brick exteriors that match the older industrial architecture. I believe that solar heating concepts can be built-in so that there is less dependence on external energy.

In my vision, I think the population will remain steady, the population a bit more elderly and the ethnic makeup will be similar.

Will the suburbs be engulfed in the city or will the city melt into the burbs?

In many ways, I think Philadelphia is appreciated more by people from the East and West Coast and from abroad than it is by people from the MidWest of the South. People from the MidWest and the South tend to regard it as an evil big city. Thus perhaps the city ought to market more to the areas where it stands to get more visitors from. I think it has done well as far as the East Coast goes and Philadelphia is the ONLY major American city to have seen international tourism rise post 9/11. I think, however, we need more international flights in order to really pull this off. Right now Philadelphia has fewer non-stops to Europe than Boston (a smaller market) and no direct service to Asia or Latin America (outside of the Carribean). That's pitiful. If this is to be a major tourist destination (or business destination for that matter) Philadelphia needs to get on the map. Perhaps a task-force needs to be set up to lure more internatioanl flights here. We're easily the most underserved market when it comes to these.

Again, I can't emphasize enough the fact that we're shafted when it comes to international flights. Western Europe is well covered (though not as much as it should be) but asides from that we've got zilch, zippo. Where are our flights to Asia - NOWHERE. We're the largest metropolitan area by far without any flights to Asia or to Latin America (asides from the Carribean). Its great that US Airways has designated PHL as its international hub but US Airways is a bit player in the international field and has neither the will nor the equipment to launch services from here to Asia or deep into Latin America. Since these are the two growth areas for the future, Philadelphia's lack of conenctiveity with them means we'll get passed over as cities like DC, NYC, Boston (where AA plans on starting a Tokyo service), Minneapolis-St. Paul, Houston, Atlanta, Detroit, etc. that are connected to Asia and/or Latin America move forward. Its time we get on the ball on this and tell the airlines to stop passing us over.

US Air would have to bring that about and with the current economic conditions....I don't know that it will happen anytime soon.

US Air is really weak on that front. Its rather unfortuante that we just have them as a hub airline (of coruse this is mostly thanks to DC - US hub - Newark - Continental hub - and New York - AA hub - being so close). They have just 19 long-haul aircraft and they put them to use like crazy - mostly serving Philadelphia to Europe flights. They have no room for expansion. This city needs to go out there and bat for some other airline to start flights. Perhaps the best way is to get one of US Air's foreign partners to start (US Air will be in the Star Alliance in 2004). We don't even get Mexicana Airlines in here anymore (what's up with that?). We need to at least get them here and start up the long overdue Philadelphia to Mexico City connection (we are by FAR FAR FAR the ONLY major city in the U.S. without any non-stop connection to Mexico City). Many some South American airlines can come next (though this would be a stretch thanks to the fact that many of them already go to DC and NYC and will assume their demand is met). Plus what's with Philadelphia not having any direct flgihts to Tokyo???????? Once Boston gets theirs this will be the only metro in the top 10 not to have any connection with Tokyo. If US Air doesn't have the wherewithall the start it, then some other airline needs to be encouraged to do so. Not having this connection really leaves us at a major disadvantage. I've flown to Tokyo from Philadelphia (by way of Chicago) and judging by the number of Japanese businessmen on my flight from Phila to Chicago connecting on to the Tokyo flight the demand is definitely there. I know opening up a Tokyo flight will involve negotiations between the U.S. and Japan but TWA was willing to do it for St. Louis (a MUCH smaller market). What gives with these airlines ignoring Philadelphia?

It would have been nice if they got JetBlue, from what I hear JetBlue is GREAT! Has anyone flown that airline?

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I've been reading about how Portland, Oregon has gone ballistic in turning their once inconsequential airport into an vehicle for international business growth. They've attracted Lufthansa to start direct flights to Germany ( a real coup considering that Seattle doesn't have this service) and Northwest has just announced that they may start a direct flight from Portland to Tokyo in 2004. Keep in mind that Portland is a metro area of 1.8 million or so. The Phila-Wilm area has 6 million not to mention the additional patronage that is available to support such international routes due to the US Airways hub. In other words, this should be a VERY attractive area to base international airservice out of - but it isn't. So far only US Airways has been gung ho about developing PHL as an international gateway and now they're at their limits on growth. Judging from the successes other cities have had at obtaining international service even post 9/11, it really baffles me as to why airlines approach Philadelphia with such trepidation. Perhaps it is the proximity to NYC thing or the US Airways fortress hub thing (which, now that US Airways will be part of Star Alliance, I would see more as a benefit to US Air's partners than a detriment). Whatever it is, this city needs to go to bat and get its fair share. We can't continue to allow ourselves to be passed over year after year when the airliners go "Hmmm, where can we start our new Tokyo service from - let's see Portland, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, I think we've got them covered now. Oh wait we forgot Philly. Well they can just drive to New York".

whoa, drugs are illegal. asl STeve.
New Orleans is a dump and crime ridden. what's to evny there? most peopel don't realize it b/c they're wasted the whoel time. If I wanted to live in Vegas I'd move there. Vegas is fin to visit but I woudln;t want to live there. Tourist towns lick. Charleston, SC is nice to visit bu so boring. Pretty little tourist areas surrounded by it s mostly poor working residents b/c tourist salaries are low. the rich people move there with money made elsewhere, probably tobacco and lawsuits against it. Whiel tourism is important to let people know about philly, becoming a tourist town is nto something i'd want.
all we need is mroe city agencies telling business what to do.
I've been quite happy with these old bldgs becoming apt. buildings.
we've got enough old people, just get on the bus. plus we have to pay exorbitant gas and water rates so they can have their 20% discount. I thnk we should embrace our past as a working city and get to working again. adding tourism shoud be a bonus. we could do that by getting rid of "fakeleg guy" and cohorts and keeping the streets clean and safe. Philly is already a sleeper destination.

Okay now for airports. I just read a case study on the airline industry and it was fascinating how screwedup it has been since Herbert Hoover began allowing the postmaster general to decide which airlines got government postal routes.
I think this is more important for business than tourism.
I think we shaft ourselves. First off the city runs the airport, which, mind you, gave a contract to Notlim Inc.
Actually, considering US Air has recently emerged form bankruptcy and still has the highest cost per passenger mile it is probably more a question of the means than the will.
It would help if we didn;t sign away most of our gates to USAir. It might also help if we weren;t one of the most expensive airports to fly in/out of. you don;t think southwest doesn't fly here b/c they dislike philly do you? it like our city, we just make it too damned expensive and full of hassle to fly or do business here.
US Air started a non-stop flight to MExico city last month. so one of your gripes has been addressed.
Screw Tokyo, dial up china/HK.
I doubt Jet Blue will coem here. we're too close to their NY airports. southwest is possible though if we lower costs. it would also help if we ahd more business b/c airliens still make more money off busines travellers than tourism.
They still have the highest unemployment rate for any metro area.
A big problem is that the city runs the airport. The city does businesshow it sees fit, which rarely is the best way. the airline industry is changing. the old dinosaurs are struggling. American is my least favorite airline and they have a virtual monopoly on flights south of the border. the old hub and spoke systemis inefficient and costly. The smaller discount carriers are chipping away at short and long haul domestic flights with direct flight routes. Things are loosening up in the EU so competitin is increasing. Keep in mind that United, Pan AM, and American got big b/c they were selected as the trunks to carry US mail in 1930. they were paid outrageous sums for it and bought up the rest of the industry. FDR regulated it in 1935 after competitino no longer remained. Regulation allowed for regionals such as Delta, Continental, and US Air to serve as feeders for the trunks. they used secondary cities as hubs. small airlines existedto serve small markets. Delta was the pioneer of the hub and spoke system when the federal government subsidized their business so they would establish air connectins to the rural south. the rest was a slow evolution towards this system. Carter deregulated and the industry has been trying to find its footing never since. never really profitable and never well run. the internet has opened them up to price competition. As long as we dont have any dolts in the government bailing out airlines we shoudl see some major change in this industry over the next five years. of course, the market is always changing whe its allowed to.

The US Air non-stop to Mexico City is from Charlotte, not Philadelphia. They were talking about also starting up a non-stop from Philadelphia but nothing has been heard about that in a while. I find it really odd that airlines have been willing to invest in routes like Portland-Frankfurt and Portland-Tokyo and yet such an obvious route like Philadelphia-Mexico City doesn't exist. Mexico is a NAFTA partner after all. Philadelphia is at a disadvantage by not having a connection with them (connections to vacation destinations like Cancun and Cozumel don't count). As for China/HK, I'd like to see service from Philadelphia to there as well but that's kind of a reach mainly due to the expensive equipment need to fly all the way over there (777-200 ER?). Airlines might not be willing to put up with that. I think Tokyo can be done with the less expensive 767-400 ER. NW has a good distribution system at Tokyo to allow passengers arriving there to transfer to places elsewhere in Asia. I'm sure a NW trunk route from PHL to Tokyo would do well since most people from Phila wanting to go to Asia will give it business.