Overview
- The North Coast Waterfront Development Corporation, which released two hypothetical site concepts on Wednesday, outlined mixed-use ideas from parks to a golf course with estimated build costs of about $480 million to $844 million.
- City officials said the drawings are a tool to start public discussion rather than a master plan, and they set Council hearings for April 1 on closure steps and April 15 on possible redevelopment.
- Aviation groups and tenants warned closure would disrupt time-critical medical flights serving nearby hospitals, end Cleveland’s Davis Aerospace and Maritime school programs, and likely cancel the Cleveland National Air Show.
- Opponents pointed to FAA and state grant obligations that keep Burke open into the late 2030s, saying any earlier shutdown would require action by Congress.
- The debate features contrasting numbers, with a city-backed survey showing broad support and projections of up to $800 million in impact, while AOPA cites annual operating costs above $21 million, limited capacity to absorb roughly 50,000 flights elsewhere, and cleanup estimates near $800 million for half the site.