--- In BATN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "8/6 SJ Business Journal" <batn@xxxx> wrote: Published Friday, August 6, 2004, in the San Jose Business Journal 'Monster' airport project gets fuzzy salesman to ease way By Andrew F. Hamm It's going to be a monster. Mineta San Jose International will host a ground-breaking Aug. 18 for the North Concourse construction project that will introduce more than 10 years of near constant building activity at the airport. To guide people in, around and through the dust and noise will be "Wilbur," a cartoon cross between H.R. Pufnstuf and the Tasmanian Devil. His mug will be featured on detour signs, information booths and Web sites, and there will even be a real-life Wilbur -- in a Styrofoam suit -- to describe projects and advise and direct airport users through the mess. "We know it will be disruptive, we know it'll be a pain, but we want to make every one understand that things will be better in the end," says Marina Renneke, marketing and public outreach representative for San Jose's airport. "We're hoping Wilbur will break through the maze and reach the public. "After all, it's going to be a monster project." The official theme, "Airport Improvement -- Monster Project in Process," refers to the $1.3 billion airport modernization project, which includes the $355 million North Concourse connecting Terminal A with Terminal C as well as the modern, automated baggage system in its depths. Airport officials are worried that the uptick in travel the airport has experienced this year could reverse itself if the public -- and especially the business public -- perceives the ongoing construction work as too much of a hassle. Airport traffic is up 5.3 percent in the first six months of 2004 but is still down 15 percent from pre-2001 levels. Traffic at Mineta San Jose had been stagnant for the past two years. "From this point on, it will be construction, construction, construction," Ms. Renneke says. The second phase includes the Central Terminal, which will be fitted onto the North Concourse, and a 10-story parking garage slated to be built on the existing short-term parking lot. A South Concourse, which would necessitate the destruction of Terminal C, is phase three. Still to be decided is the fate of the people mover that would bring people to the airport from First Street or the future Santa Clara BART station. San Francisco International Airport acquired a reputation as a hard-to-navigate airport because of near-constant construction and expansion project over the past two decades, Ms. Renneke says. San Francisco's airport also has been criticized for too few directional signs and a lack of information on the progress and purpose of the projects, she adds. San Jose is trying to avoid those problems with its "Monster" program, says Ralph Tonseth, Mineta San Jose's aviation director. "We want to have a sense of humor about this," he says. "But we also want to inform. People seeing Wilbur will know immediately that information is available." Airport officials even have plans to sell T-shirts if the character proves popular and are developing a contingency plan should the signs get stolen by Wilbur's fans. "If they steal the signs, I'd consider that a good thing," Mr. Tonseth says, only half in jest. "That means people are reading them." Airport officials have already copyrighted Wilbur, who was designed by Decatur, Ga.-based artist Bill Mayer with Los Gatos-based Jim Barnes, owner of Barnestorming Creative, on a $16,000 contract with the airport. And there is already talk of Wilbur gaining a wife and children to help with his work, Ms. Renneke says. Airport plans to unveil the character at the Aug. 18 groundbreaking were derailed when the Business Journal obtained a full-body drawing of Wilbur through sophisticated reporting techniques -- a reporter looked inside the airport agenda packet that is available to the public. After pleas from several airport officials not to ruin their surprise unveiling, the Business Journal agreed to a compromise, publishing only a portion of the drawing to avoid undermining the Aug. 18 event. Andrew F. Hamm covers transportation for the Business Journal. Reach him at (408) 299-1841. --- End forwarded message ---