Bigger Panama City airport could be coming PANAMA CITY, Fla. (AP) =97 Bay County commissioners have narrowly approved a= =20 controversial land-use change for a proposed $210 million airport on=20 property to be donated by The St. Joe Co., Florida's largest private land=20 owner. The 3-2 vote Thursday was an important step but far from final=20 action on plans to move Panama City's present airport to the new site.=20 Additional local, state and federal approvals are required, but=20 Commissioner Mike Ropa, who voted against the plan, called it a "done=20 deal." Another commissioner on the prevailing side disagreed. "I'm=20 convinced at this point, since we're not approving anything, it needs to=20 move on," said Commissioner George Gainer. Supporters, including Gov. Jeb=20 Bush, say relocation would boost economic development and create jobs. They= =20 argue the existing airport's runways are too short for many types of=20 airliners and extending them would be too expensive because it is hemmed in= =20 by development and St. Andrew Bay. Critics say the new airport is not=20 needed. A group called the Panhandle Citizens Coalition had called for=20 putting the matter before voters in a referendum. The commission's vote=20 showed "utter contempt for the citizens of Bay County," said Arthur=20 Stewart, a member of the coalition. The group has filed a lawsuit over the= =20 Panama City Commission's decision not to hold a referendum. A hearing on=20 the case is scheduled for June 23. *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@xxxxxxxxx Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Mas Site: www.tntisland.com/tntrecords/mas2003/ Site of the Week: http://www.carib-link.net/naparima/naps.html TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************