McKinney residents to decide on multi-million dollar bond package for airport expansion
MCKINNEY (CBSNewsTexas.com) - McKinney residents are deciding whether to approve a multi-million-dollar bond package that would fund a big portion of the city's airport expansion plan and bring commercial travel to the area.
Tonight, Mayor George Fuller hosted a question-and-answer session. Residents learned more about the $200 million dollar bond package on the ballot.
"I fear residents are making a decision.. potentially making a decision.. not based in fact, but misinformation," Fuller said.
"Frisco has Universal Studios, the Cowboys, that's not the kind of development we want," resident Al Perry said. "This is the secret sauce."
"I am completely against it," resident Lee Moore said. "I think that the numbers don't add up in any way, shape, or form."
The bond would fund most of the city's airport expansion plan. At first, opening four new gates, a new taxi way and parking. Mayor Fuller estimates in its first year, it would operate about 12 commercial flights a day.
"There's going to be service out of there anyway, and I think we should take advantage of it," resident Tim Lowe said.
Some who live nearby are worried about traffic, noise and pollution, especially given there's the possibility of future expansion up to 16 gates.
"The FAA then reviews that environmental assessment," he said. "All those things have to be acceptable. On traffic, we're talking about 1,000 cars a day. We're about to open an HEB with about 25,000 people on a given Saturday."
Fuller said the info has been made public on FlyMcKinney.com.
If passed, city officials say this expansion could bring more than 2,000 jobs to the area and more than $600 million in economic impact.
